Kremlin says Türkiye's position on Crimea does not hinder cooperation

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Türkiye's position on Crimea will not hinder its cooperation with Russia, Kremlin's spokesman said Wednesday.

Speaking at an event in Moscow, Dmitry Peskov noted that Moscow appreciated Ankara's mediation on some difficult issues regarding Ukraine, including grain export.

"Ankara has been saying from the very beginning that it disagrees with us on this.

"Nevertheless, this does not prevent us from interacting with the Republic of Türkiye where it is beneficial for us. We highly appreciate the efforts of the Republic of Türkiye to resolve difficult situations, as it was with grain. Therefore, where it is necessary, we have communicated and will continue to communicate, and we have a very good potential for deepening cooperation," he said.

Asked about a possible ban on the Schengen visas for Russians, Peskov said Moscow is actively monitoring the situation because if it happens it will demand counteraction.

In 2014, Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula, a move widely viewed as illegal by the international community, including Türkiye and the UN General Assembly.