Erdoğan, Putin set to discuss key regional issues at BRICS summit in Kazan

The upcoming negotiations between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Russian President Vladimir Putin, scheduled to take place in Kazan during the BRICS summit on October 23, promise to be highly significant.

A wide range of topics is expected to be discussed, extending beyond mere bilateral cooperation. A central theme of the meeting will be the challenge of normalising relations between Türkiye and Syria, Caliber.Az reports per Turkish media.

The agenda includes numerous issues, “from events in the Middle East to the resolution in Ukraine, from trade between the two countries to US statements regarding the S-400 missile defence system and the Syrian crisis.”

There had been previous reports about the potential for Erdoğan to hold talks with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Kazan.

However, sources cited by the newspaper indicate that “this meeting is not on the agenda in the short term.” According to the article, Damascus has yet to provide a “decisive response to Erdoğan’s positive overtures.”

The paper further states, “foreign sources at the four-party negotiation table regarding Syria suggest that Türkiye's demand for democratic elections and a new constitution is met with concern by Assad.”

The report highlights that should Assad open Syria’s borders to refugees, particularly those who oppose him, “the elections could backfire against him,” and there exists the possibility that “the opposition could form a party that would challenge Assad.”

Nonetheless, Hurriyet commentator Hande Fırat emphasises, “Russia will have a significant influence on Assad’s decision regarding the meeting with Erdoğan.

Therefore, this [Syrian issue] will be one of the most important topics of the Erdoğan-Putin meeting.”

Meanwhile, on October 23, Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to hold talks with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro during the BRICS summit. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed this information to journalists, stating, "Yes, I can confirm," in response to inquiries about the meeting.

Maduro's visit to Russia was anticipated last year; however, it was postponed due to scheduling conflicts between the two leaders.

For the record, Türkiye has formally submitted a request to join the BRICS group, a move signalling the country's intention to expand its global influence and reduce dependence on traditional Western allies. By joining BRICS, Türkiye seeks to enhance economic relations with major non-Western powers, especially Russia and China, which are key partners in trade and energy.

The BRICS bloc, which originally began as BRIC in 2006, encompasses some of the world’s largest emerging economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, which joined in 2010. BRICS positions itself as a counterbalance to Western-dominated institutions like the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank. 

The latest BRICS summit, which marks the 16th annual gathering, is hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin in Kazan on October 22-24, further strengthening the group’s political and economic agenda aimed at challenging the West’s dominance.

By Aghakazim Guliyev