Official website of the President of Russia

News   /

Mr Putin expressed his profound condolences following the terrorist attack at Istanbul airport that caused numerous casualties. He passed on his words of sympathy to the victims’ families and wished a swift recovery to all who were injured. Both presidents stressed the need to activate international cooperation to combat the terrorist threat that poses a danger to all countries.

Mr Putin said that the letter he received from the Turkish President opens the road for overcoming the crisis in bilateral relations and beginning the process of renewing joint efforts on international and regional issues and developing the two countries’ relations in different areas. In this context, Mr Putin said that he hoped the judicial inquiry underway into the Turkish citizen accused of the Russian pilot’s death would be objective.

Mr Putin said that he would instruct the Russian Government to begin negotiations with the relevant Turkish agencies to restore mutually advantageous bilateral cooperation in trade, the economy and other sectors. Mr Putin also said during the conversation that Russia could lift the restrictions on Russian tourists visiting Turkey but also noted that it would be good if the Turkish government took extra measures to ensure Russian citizens’ safety on Turkish soil.

The two presidents agreed that the Russian and Turkish foreign ministers would meet on July 1 at the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organisation’s foreign ministers meeting in Sochi. The discussion would cover both the regional situation, particularly efforts to settle the Syrian conflict, and current matters of further developing Russian-Turkish relations.

Mr Putin and Mr Erdogan agreed to examine possibilities for meeting in person in the near future.

Overall, the conversation was business-like, constructive, and focused on restoring the traditionally friendly nature of the two countries’ broad-ranging bilateral relations.