Moscow and Ankara getting to know each other, says ambassador

Turkish Ambassador to Russia Umit Yardim said at a round-table conference titled “Russia and Turkey: between Europe and Asia” at the Parlamentskaya Gazeta today that Russia and Turkey had been getting closer to each other for 20 years. He called the information channel the most important element in the development of cooperation. The countries had a one-vector policy 20-30 years ago, according to the ambassador. 

Mikhail Yemelyanov, deputy head of the Russian State Duma Committee for Economic Policy, said that the problems Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan faced were a result of U.S. attempts to undermine stability in the country. The fact that Ankara has not joined anti-Russian sanctions proves the high level of bilateral relations, in his opinion. Yemelyanov reminded that Russia was supplying Turkey with energy, Turkey was selling food. Sergey Markov, a member of the Russian Public Chamber, emphasized that Turkey was obviously unable to become a member of the EU, so it should join the Eurasian Economic Union. The expert considers Turkey and Russia closer to each other than to Europe. He reminded that construction of a pipeline had been decided along the Turkish and Greek border, Russia was helping realize nuclear projects in Turkey, the two states were cooperating in the Caucasus. 

Ambassador Veniamin Popov, the director of the Center for Partnership of Civilizations at the MGIMO Institute of International Relations, noted that both Russia and Turkey were Eurasian states with rising authority. Turkey, in his words, unites the West and the Islamic world. He assumes that Turkey will play a big role in many armed conflicts. The fate of Europe will be decided in Southern Europe. 

Constantine Simonov, the director of the National Energy Security Fund, stated that the two countries were actively working on the Turkish Stream. He called Turkey a more reliable partner for transit than Ukraine. The project, he believes, will give Turkey an enormous geopolitical advantage as a transit state.

Turkish Ambassador to Russia Umit Yardim said at a round-table conference named “Russia and Turkey: between Europe and Asia” at the Parlamentskaya Gazeta today that Russia and Turkey had been getting closer to each other for 20 years. He called the information canal the mot important element in the development of cooperation. The countries had a one-vector policy 20-30 years ago, according to the ambassador.Mikhail Yemelyanov, deputy head of the Russian State Duma Committee for Economic Policy, said that the problems Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan faced were a result of U.S. attempts to undermine stability in the country. The fact that Ankara has not joined anti-Russian sanctions proves the high level of the bilateral relations, in hi opinion. Yemelyanov reminded that Russia was supplying Turkey with energy, Turkey was selling food.Sergey Markov, a member of the Russian Public Chamber, emphasized that Turkey was obviously unable to become a member of the EU, so it should join the Eurasian Economic Union. The expert considers Turkey and Russia closer to each other than to Europe. He reminded that construction of a pipeline had been decided along the Turkish and Greek border, Russia was helping realize nuclear projects in Turkey, the two states were cooperating in the Caucasus.Ambassador Veniamin Popov, the director of the Center for Partnership of Civilizations at the MGIMO Institute of International Relations, noted that both Russia and Turkey were Eurasian states with rising authority. Turkey, in his words, unites the West and the Islamic world. He assumes that Turkey will play a big role in many armed conflicts. The fate of Europe will be decided in the Southern Europe.Constantine Simonov, the director of the National Energy Security Fund, stated that the two countries were actively working on the Turkish Stream. He called Turkey a more reliable partner for transit than Ukraine. The project, as he believes, will give Turkey an enormous geopolitical advantage as a transit st