Turkey expects Erdogan, Putin meeting to boost ties

ANKARA (AA) - The upcoming meeting of Turkish and Russian presidents is expected to speed up the normalization process between the two countries, according to the Turkish Presidency on Monday.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will meet his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg on Tuesday upon Putin's invitation, marking the first meeting between the two leaders since Russia and Turkey began normalizing relations following the downing of a Russian jet in November last year.

"The visit is expected to accelerate the normalization process between the two countries," the Turkish Presidency said in a statement.

Erdogan and Putin are expected to discuss reinforcing bilateral relations, as well as regional and international developments, it added.

After the Turkish Air Force shot down a Russian jet over the Turkey-Syria border, relations between the two countries soured until the issue seemed largely resolved on June 29 through a letter and subsequent telephone calls between the countries’ leaders.

On June 30, Russia lifted a ban on tourist flights to Turkey following a phone conversation between Putin and Erdogan.

Turkish and Russian foreign ministers later met in the Russian city of Sochi on July 1.

Putin gave his support to Turkey over the July 15 coup attempt and said he stood by the elected government, offering his condolences to the victims of what Erdogan called the “most heinous” armed coup attempt in modern Turkish history.

On July 22, Russia also lifted restrictions on flights to Turkey, which had been implemented temporarily following the coup attempt, after Turkish officials assured their Russian counterparts that additional security measures were being taken.