Contents tagged with turkey

  • Turkey says that S-400 missile systems supplied by Russia pose no threat to NATO

    The S-400 missile systems that Moscow will supply to Ankara do not pose a threat to NATO, said Turkish Defense Minister Nurettin Canikli.

    "In the S-400s, which will be delivered to Turkey in 2019, "friend-foe" identification systems will be modified," he told the newspaper Yeni Safak.

    Turkey and Russia signed a contract for the delivery of the S-400 in mid-September. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said that Ankara had already made the first payment.

    The contract was criticized in the …

  • Putin tells Turkish and Iranian leaders that Assad is ready for constitutional reform

    RIA Novosti has reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin told the leaders of Turkey and Iran, Tayyip Erdogan and Hassan Rouhani, about his talks with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

    "We informed our colleagues about the conversation in Sochi with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. We noted the commitment of the Syrian leadership to the principles of a peaceful resolution of the political crisis, [and their] readiness to carry out constitutional reform and free, UN-supervised elections," …

  • European Union intends to reduce assistance to Turkey

    The European Union decided to reduce its financial assistance to Turkey which it provides as part of the EU candidate support program, Deutsche Welle reports.

    During the discussion of the budget plan for 2018 on Saturday, November 18, it was decided that the amount of funds allocated to Ankara would be reduced by 105 million euros compared to the first draft of the budget, which was drawn up by the European Commission. Another 70 million euros are under consideration. They will be paid only if …

  • Turkey completes the purchase of Russian S-400 anti-air missile systems

    Turkey has completed the procedure of purchasing S-400 anti-air missile systems from Russia, Turkish Defense Minister Nurettin Canikli announced, as reported by Anadolu.

    “The S-400 systems have been purchased. All that’s left to deal with are a few minor details,” the Minister noted.

    According to him, Turkey does not intend to stop there, but rather aims to develop its domestic capabilities.

    “Anti-air defense systems need to be developed in Turkey itself, by domestic enterprises,” he …

  • Putin and Erdogan to discuss the participation of Kurdish Democratic Union Party in Syrian settlement process during Erdogan's visit to Russia

    During a visit to Moscow on November 13, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will discuss the participation of the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) in the Syrian National Dialogue Congress with Russian leader Vladimir Putin,  NTV news channel reported. Putin and Erdoğan will also discuss the fight against terrorism in Syria and Iraq. After the visit to Moscow, the Turkish president will leave for Kuwait on November 14.

    On November 1, Erdoğan's spokesman, Ibrahim Kalin, said that Turkey …

  • Gazprom completes Turkish Stream construction on Russian territory

    Russian gas conglomerate Gazprom has completed construction on the offshore sections of the two Turkish Stream lines on the territory of the Russian Federation, and has begun construction of the first line within the Turkish Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ),  Prime news outlet reported, citing South Stream Transport B.V.

    "On November 4, 2017, the first line of the Turkish gas flow entered the Turkish Exclusive Economic Zone. Pioneering Spirit, the world’s largest construction vessel, laid into …

  • Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey launch new railroad linking to Europe and China, bypassing Russia

    Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey held an official event to open a new railroad, the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars line. The new route passes through the three countries and provides passenger and freight railroad transit between Europe and China surpassing Russia and Armenia.

    The opening event took place in Alat, Azerbaijan, a village in a remote part of the Baku capital suburb, 70 kilometers southeast of the city. The ceremony was attended by top leaders of Azerbaijan and Turkey and the prime ministers of …

  • NATO warns Turkey of consequences of acquiring Russian S-400

    Turkey will be faced with “unavoidable consequences” if it buys Russian S-400 anti-air defense systems, said NATO Military Committee Chairman General Petr Pavel, as reported by Defense News.

    “The principle of sovereignty obviously exists in acquisition of defense equipment, but the same way that nations are sovereign in making their decision, they are also sovereign in facing the consequences of that decision” Pavel noted.

    According to the NATO representative, although each country is free to …

  • Crimean Tatar leaders Umerov and Chiygoz handed over to Turkey thanks to agreement between Poroshenko and Erdogan

    The Russian authorities have handed over Ilmi Umerov and Akhtem Chiygoz to Turkey, Crimean Tatar leader Mustafa Dzhemilev told Ukrayinska Pravda.

    The two deputy heads of the Mejlis were flown to Ankara.

    Umerov and Chiygoz’s release became possible thanks to the agreements achieved as a result of Turkish President Recep Erdoğan ’s visit to Ukraine.

    The lawyer Nikolai Polozov confirmed this information on Facebook.

    “The thing we have been waiting for for so long has happened. Two more …

  • Russia lifts ban on imports of Turkish tomatoes

    Russia will lift its restrictions on the import of tomatoes from Turkey beginning November 1, as announced by the Russian Energy Minister, Alexander Novak, who is also the Co-Chairman of the Russian-Turkish Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation.

    "The decision has been prepared. The possibility of supplying 50,000 tons of tomatoes to the Russian Federation starting November 1 has already been agreed upon by our authorities," said Novak to the reporters, TASS quotes.

    He …