On July 3, 2024, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held talks on the sidelines of the 24th Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Astana, Kazakhstan. The meeting, closely watched by Western countries and the United States, focused on bilateral relations, strategic projects, and global issues.Putin emphasized that despite global challenges, Russian-Turkish relations continue to progress. He highlighted the implementation of strategic projects, including the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant and the proposed Sinop Nuclear Power Plant. Putin also noted the record-breaking number of Russian tourists visiting Turkey, with 6.7 million visitors in the previous year.Erdogan expressed confidence in reaching the ambitious goal of $100 billion in bilateral trade volume. He also extended an invitation to Putin to visit Turkey soon, which the Russian leader accepted. The Turkish President emphasized the importance of Russian tourism for Turkey’s economy and expressed a desire to host more Russian tourists.Following his meeting with Erdogan, Putin held talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping. In their 50-minute conversation, both leaders stressed that the Russia-China partnership is experiencing its best period in history. Putin stated that their cooperation is a key factor in global stabilization, emphasizing that neither Moscow nor Beijing seeks to use their partnership against any other country.The SCO summit, attended by leaders from member states including China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, is set to discuss regional security, cooperation, and international issues such as the situation in Ukraine and Syria. The summit is viewed by some as a counterbalance to Western alliances, with Putin and Xi seeking to demonstrate that their countries are not isolated by Western sanctions.
Key points
- Putin and Erdogan met at the SCO summit in Astana, discussing bilateral relations and strategic projects.
- Russia-Turkey relations are progressing despite global challenges, with a focus on nuclear energy projects and increased trade.
- Putin later met with Xi Jinping, emphasizing the strong state of Russia-China relations and their role in global stabilization.
- The SCO summit is seen as a platform for member states to discuss regional security and cooperation, potentially countering Western alliances.
Contradictions👾While most sources report 6.
7 million Russian tourists visited Turkey last year, one source mentions 7 million.
This minor discrepancy does not significantly affect the overall narrative.
