Get 40% Off
👀 👁 🧿 All eyes on Biogen, up +4,56% after posting earnings. Our AI picked it in March 2024.
Which stocks will surge next?
Unlock AI-picked Stocks

Russia's Putin and Turkey's Erdogan hold Syria, defence talks

Published 09/29/2021, 08:06 AM
Updated 09/29/2021, 11:03 AM
© Reuters. Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan during a meeting in Sochi, Russia September 29, 2021. Sputnik/Vladimir Smirnov/Pool via REUTERS

MOSCOW (Reuters) -The presidents of Russia and Turkey on Wednesday held talks on curbing renewed violence in northwest Syria and on possibly expanding Moscow's sales of military defence systems to Ankara despite U.S. objections.

The talks took place in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi and the Kremlin said that President Vladimir Putin was ending a period of coronavirus-related self-isolation by meeting Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan.

Neither leader made any detailed statements to the media after the talks, though Putin thanked Erdogan for the visit which he called useful and substantive.

Turkish officials said before the meeting that Erdogan would press Putin for a return to a ceasefire agreed last year to end a Russian and Syrian army assault on Turkey-backed fighters in Syria's Idlib region.

"The steps we take together regarding Syria carry great importance. The peace there is dependent on Turkey-Russia ties," Erdogan told Putin at the start of their talks.

Putin made only a passing reference to Syria in his opening comments, saying it was one of the areas where the two countries cooperated fairly successfully.

The Russian leader said negotiations with Turkey were sometimes difficult but that the two countries had learnt how to find mutually beneficial compromises.

A potential Turkish purchase of more Russian S-400 missile defence batteries was on the agenda too, something that Washington has made clear it strongly objects to.

In an apparent reference to the Americans, Erdogan told Putin he wanted to discuss further defence cooperation regardless of U.S. objections.

3rd party Ad. Not an offer or recommendation by Investing.com. See disclosure here or remove ads .

"At the UNGA (U.N. General Assembly), the typical persons especially asked us about certain issues specifically of course," Erdogan told Putin.

"We gave them the necessary response anyway. It is not possible for us to turn back from the steps we took. I especially believe this: it is of great importance for us to continue by strengthening Turkey-Russia ties every day."

NATO member Turkey bought Russian S-400 missile defence batteries in 2019, triggering U.S. sanctions against its defence industries and warnings from Washington of further action if it bought more Russian equipment.

Erdogan last week indicated Turkey still intended to procure a second batch of S-400s, saying no country could dictate Ankara's actions.

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.