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Following international consultations, the presidents of the two countries adopted a Joint Statement.

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Beginning of the meeting with Recep Tayyip Erdogan

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Mr President, my dear friend, we are delighted to welcome you to Russia.

As we agreed in Tehran, we are holding our next working meeting today. But before our meeting here in Sochi, a representative delegation of the Russian Government’s economic bloc visited Turkiye at your invitation and addressed all the essential areas of our cooperation together with their colleagues. There are many of them. I can only remind you that last year our trade grew 57 percent, and it doubled in the first few months of this year, from January to May).

We have large projects we are working on. Everybody knows about the construction of the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant. This is energy, which is very important, but there are other areas as well. In this regard, I would like to note that TurkStream, the construction of which we completed some time ago, is today one of the most important routes for supplying Europe with Russian gas. TurkStream, unlike all other directions of our hydrocarbon supplies to Europe, is operating well, smoothly, and without failure. I do not mean only deliveries to consumers in Turkiye, but, let me repeat, also to consumers in Europe.

I believe that our European partners should be grateful to Turkiye for ensuring the continuous transit of gas to their markets.

However, oil, gas, coal, and other goods for Turkiye’s consumption are supplied in large quantities, without failure.

The problem of Ukrainian grain exports through Black Sea ports has been settled thanks to your personal involvement and the UN Secretariat’s mediation. Grain is being exported, and I would like to thank you for that and also for the simultaneous adoption of a package decision on the unhindered delivery of Russian food and fertilisers to global markets, because this matter concerns many countries, especially developing countries, which are facing major problems with food and fertiliser deliveries. The decisions that have been taken thanks to your personal contribution are extremely important for all these countries. I would like to thank you for that.

As we agreed, I hope that today we will sign a relevant memorandum on the further development of our trade and economic ties with due regard for the arrangements our delegations reached in Turkiye barely a day, or two days ago.

We are very happy to see you. Welcome.

Of course, we will also discuss the issues we have been dealing with for a long time, namely, regional security and above all, the Syrian crisis. Turkiye and Russia have made a great contribution to normalisation here, and we will also devote time to that issue.

Mr President, welcome.

President of the Republic of Turkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan (retranslated): Mr President, I am grateful to you as well. Thank you. I am delighted that we are meeting again so soon after our meeting in Tehran.

Our delegations have met, and their meetings were very productive. They concerned the economy, trade and all other areas. They discussed many issues in these areas, and we can say now, following those discussions, that we can draw a line here.

I believe we will open a new page in our bilateral relations. This concerns energy, and especially the “grain corridor” via the Black Sea where we have taken steps. Steps have been taken on all issues – tourism and transport – all these areas. Other steps have been taken in the region as well. Our delegations have met several times. Today we are meeting face to face, and will discuss all the other issues on the agenda.

From Turkiye’s point of view, I want to note that Russia plays a special role on the world stage. I believe that we need to focus even more on fighting terrorism, and I hope that this will mitigate the situation in the region. Our solidarity in this regard is of great importance. The steps we take in countering terrorism, and our meetings, I believe, will strengthen this trend and our relations.

Today the world fixed all eyes on Sochi: What will they do in Sochi, what will they address in Sochi, what will they discuss? Perhaps the world is watching our meeting in Sochi closely. And, perhaps the best answers to these questions will be given after our meeting.

As you know, the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant is of great importance for us in the energy sector. You and I have succeeded: it is true that the construction of Akkuyu continues, and it is necessary that there are no delays, that all this work is going as scheduled and completed according to the plan, because this is of great importance to us. Ten percent of Turkiye’s energy needs will be met by the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant. So, we will discuss this in detail. I think it will be useful.

Today we have this opportunity. Thank you for the opportunity to meet here.

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