Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday (9 April) had a phone call with the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The conversation touched on the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh, with Erdogan praising Putin’s efforts to promote stabilisation and to ensure the step-by-step implementation of the trilateral agreements of 9 November 2020, and 11 January 2021. Putin updated the Turkish President on the outcomes of his meeting on Wednesday with the Armenian Prime Minister, and his phone conversation on Thursday with the Azerbaijani President. The leaders emphasised the need to restore the South Caucasus’s transport links.
In addition, the two leaders discussed bilateral co-operation of the coronavirus and the potential joint production of Russian Sputnik V vaccines.
President Erdogan spoke of the pandemic measures taken by Turkey and is reported as emphasising the priority being placed on the safety of tourists in the country. The two leaders agreed to remain in close contact through the relevant agencies to ensure the health of Russian tourists in Turkey.
They also discussed the situation in Libya, noting that the ceasefire between the warring factions was being observed. They discussed the important role of their two countries in the stability of Syria, and placed an emphasis on the need to counter terrorism particularly in Idlib Province, in line with the provisions of the 2018 Sochi Memorandum and the relevant Additional Protocol of 5 March 2020.
Putin also responded to Erdogan’s request for information about situation in Ukraine, confirming the importance of the 2015 Minsk Package of Measures. Putin accused Ukraine of provocations on the contact line and of not implementing the measures.
In the context of Turkey’s plans to build the Istanbul Canal, the Russian President noted the importance of preserving the 1936 Montreux Convention Regarding the Regime of the Straits with a view to ensuring regional stability and security.