Putin, Erdoğan discuss Middle East, North Africa, South Caucasus Video / Updated

Russian President Vladimir Putin has held talks with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on a range of regional issues, including the Middle East, North Africa and the South Caucasus.

Speaking at their meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Tianjin, Putin said Russian-Turkish cooperation in these areas was “well established, practical, useful and, I would say, built on trust,” Caliber.Az reports per Russian media.

The Kremlin leader also expressed confidence that Türkiye would continue to play a “special role” in efforts to resolve the war in Ukraine.

“We are grateful to our Turkish friends for their significant contribution to the political and diplomatic efforts to settle the Ukrainian crisis,” Putin said.

“Since May 2025, three rounds of direct Russian-Ukrainian negotiations have been held in Istanbul, which have made it possible to advance on a number of practical humanitarian issues. I am sure that Türkiye’s special role in these matters will remain in demand.”

For his part, Erdoğan reiterated his invitation for Putin to visit Türkiye, emphasising that bilateral ties were unaffected by international tensions.

“My invitation remains in force. We are looking forward to the opportunity to welcome you to our country as soon as possible. We are bound by sincere relations based on trust. Our ties are developing without being influenced by current circumstances,” the Turkish president said.

12:12

Russian President Vladimir Putin has begun a meeting with his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, on the margins of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin.

The talks are being attended by senior members of the Russian delegation, including Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, presidential aide Maxim Oreshkin, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, and presidential foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov, Caliber.Az reports per Russian media.

Also present are Transport Minister Andrei Nikitin, Energy Minister Sergei Tsivilev, head of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation Dmitry Shugaev, Russian Direct Investment Fund chief executive Kirill Dmitriev, and Rosatom director-general Alexei Likhachev.

The discussions come as Moscow and Ankara continue to navigate a complex relationship marked by cooperation in trade, energy and regional security, while often finding themselves on opposing sides in international conflicts.

The 25th SCO Summit, taking place in Tianjin, China, from August 31 to September 1, 2025, is the fifth time China has hosted the annual gathering and represents the largest in the organisation’s history. 

Held at the Tianjin Meijiang Convention and Exhibition Centre, the event brings together leaders from more than 20 nations alongside the heads of 10 international organisations, underscoring its rising global significance.

By Aghakazim Guliyev