Putin and Erdogan compare notes on new presidential term

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan confirmed in a phone conversation their mutual interest in boosting partnership ties between the two countries, the Kremlin press service said.

"The sides confirmed mutual interest in expanding partnership ties between the two countries. They noted that strategic joint energy projects - the construction of the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant and the Turkish Stream gas pipeline - are a top priority," the statement said.

According to the Kremlin, during the phone conversation the sides also agreed to maintain close cooperation on the Syrian settlement issues. The Russian leader once again congratulated his Turkish counterpart on winning the June 24 presidential election and wished him success on his post.

Earlier today. Vladimir Putinhad sent a telegram to Erdogan to congratulate him on his re-election as Turkey’s president and the victory of the ruling Justice and Development Party.

The deputy head of the Council of the Russian Diplomats Association, Andrey Baklanov, speaking to Vestnik Kavkaza, noted that Russia can only welcome the results of voting in the early presidential election in Turkey. "Recep Tayyip Erdogan as a political figure with all its pluses and minuses is well known to us. If we consider the final line of his behavior towards the Russian Federation, then it is positive. We would like that these positive tendencies, characteristic for the last time, both in politics, and in trade and economic cooperation with third countries, have developed further," he stressed.

"Most of all, we are interested in stability in neighboring countries. In general, we can express satisfaction with the results of the elections and wish Erdogan successes in his activities both inside the country and abroad," Andrey Baklanov said.

Director of the Center for Modern Turkish Studies Amur Hajiyev said that the positive trend towards the strengthening of Russian-Turkish relations will be continued during Erdogan's new presidential term. "During today's telephone conversation, Putin and Erdogan announced once again that such strategic important projects as Akkuyu and the Turkish Stream will continue to be a priority for Turkey,. And therefore there is every reason to predict further strengthening of the Russian-Turkish relations," the expert expects.

"Of course, the West will try to win Turkey over to its side in every possible way. It is enough to recall the F-35-related episode right before the elections, when Washington allowed to provide a plane for training Turkish pilots in the US. The West will offer a lot, but in any case it will be done not in the interests of Turkey, but in order to preserve the influence over Ankara," Amur Hajiyev warned.