Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to depart for Sochi on Monday to hold discussions with his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Dmitry Peskov, the press secretary of the head of state, told reporters.
As previously announced by the Russian leader, an agreement had been reached between him and his Turkish counterpart before the presidential and parliamentary elections in Turkey. However, due to political considerations, it was decided to postpone the meeting to a later date, so as not to give the appearance of attempting to influence the outcome of the popular vote.
While Putin and Erdogan maintain regular communication, the forthcoming meeting in Sochi will mark the first in-person contact between the two leaders since Russia withdrew from the Black Sea Initiative.
Political background
Erdogan's visit to Sochi presents an opportunity for the two leaders to address ongoing issues in a relationship that has recently encountered strains. According to Turkish analysts, Moscow is observing the warming ties between Ankara and Washington with concern, as it views Turkey's decision to repatriate Azov commanders (a group banned in Russia and recognized as a terrorist organization) to Ukraine, as well as its expressions of support for Kiev in the ongoing conflict, unfavorably.
On the other hand, Turkey has expressed disappointment over the breakdown of the grain deal and the fact that its diplomatic endeavors in the Ukrainian conflict have not yet yielded even interim results.
Expected agenda
According to Dmitry Peskov, the talks are scheduled for mid-afternoon on Monday. As per the Kremlin press service, the agenda includes discussions on furthering mutually beneficial bilateral cooperation and addressing pressing international matters.
It is anticipated that during his discussions with Putin, Erdogan will primarily focus on seeking peaceful resolutions to the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the stalled grain deal. As a mediator engaging with both Moscow and Kiev, the Turkish leader is likely to convey not only the positions of Turkey's Western partners but also his own proposals for a resolution. Erdogan is keen on facilitating new talks in Turkey to find a peaceful settlement and aims to maintain a balanced and impartial stance between the two conflicting parties.
However, there are ongoing challenges with regards to the grain deal. Turkey is exploring ways to re-engage the Russian Federation in the agreement and claims to have developed new proposals in collaboration with the UN. Erdogan will present these proposals to Putin and is expected to convey messages from his allies. He will endeavor to persuade the Russian president to consider re-establishing the deal on its original terms, although the prospects of this appear limited, given Russia's demand for concrete guarantees rather than assurances.
The Russian proposal to supply Turkey with 1 million tons of grain for processing has piqued Ankara's interest. However, there have been no detailed official assessments of this initiative by Turkish authorities yet. Dmitry Peskov stated that "there are no concrete results from these discussions at this point," but the dialogue will continue at various levels.
There are potential political complexities that could complicate the implementation of this plan and generate concerns from Western nations. Nevertheless, during his meeting with Putin, Erdogan is expected to receive detailed information on how such grain supplies can be arranged, including the role of Qatar, Turkey's regional partner, in the process.
Aside from the Ukraine situation, the leaders will address the Syrian issue. Although it has received less attention recently, work continues in this regard. Russia is actively promoting the normalization of relations between Ankara and Damascus. The matter of ensuring security in northern Syria remains significant, with the activities of the United States causing discontent in both Moscow and Ankara, as indicated by official statements.
Regarding bilateral relations, trade and economic topics may not lead to groundbreaking announcements during this meeting. Currently, joint projects are progressing without significant issues. The discussions may touch upon matters like the gas hub and the potential project for gas supplies to Europe through the capacities of the "TurkStream." However, the situation with the gas hub is progressing slowly due to numerous unresolved legal issues. Establishing a new gas supply route would necessitate a much broader consensus than merely an agreement between Erdogan and Putin.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: official website of the President of the Russian Federation
Based on materials from TASS