According to the official Turkish news agency Anadolu Agency, this position was expressed by the president during his meeting with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, within the framework of the 25th Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit, held in the Chinese city of Tianjin.

A statement from the Turkish Presidential Communications Directorate noted that the two leaders discussed bilateral relations and various regional and international issues.

Erdogan emphasized that ties between Ankara and Moscow are moving forward on the basis of mutual respect and common interests, and highlighted the long-standing cooperation in sectors such as trade, tourism, investment, and energy.

The Turkish president reiterated that his country is continuing efforts to promote “a just and lasting peace” in Ukraine and stressed the importance of the rounds of negotiations held in Istanbul, where agreements were reached on humanitarian issues and the release of prisoners.

For his part, Putin described Turkiye as a “reliable partner” with a key role in both bilateral relations and on the international stage.

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