Erdogan to visit Russia in January
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is planning to visit Russia to hold negotiations with his colleague Vladimir Putin, Anadolu Agency reported, without any official confirmation.
According to the news agency, the heads of state will discuss the situation in Syria and the contract for Ankara’s purchase of S-400 anti-air missile systems from Russia.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov later confirmed that preparations are being made for the presidents to meet, Interfax reports. “The leaders have agreed that the meeting will be soon,” he said, noting that no specific date has yet been set.
At the end of December, Erdogan said that he plans to meet with Putin soon to discuss the withdrawal of US troops from Syria. The Turkish leader’s press secretary stated that, in light of Washington’s decision to withdraw its troops, Ankara intends to strengthen its relations with Moscow.
On December 19, US President Donald Trump announced the withdrawal of the US military presence from Syria, claiming that the American troops have completed their task of defeating the Islamic State militants. US Secretary of Defense James Mattis so disagreed with this decision that he resigned from his position in protest against it.