Erdoğan, Putin agree on close cooperation on regional issues in phone call

ANKARA

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone conversation late on Oct. 20, coming to an agreement on close cooperation regarding regional issues, Turkish presidential sources have said.

During the phone call, the two leaders discussed bilateral relations and regional developments, including the realization of de-escalation zones in Syria and the Astana process, according to sources.

They came to an agreement over “close cooperation and coordination” on regional developments, sources said.

The two leaders also discussed cooperation in trade, economy and energy between Ankara and Moscow, expressing satisfaction over the mutual trade volume which has increased by 21.7 percent in the first eight months of 2017 compared to the same period of the previous year.

They also stressed that reciprocal visits contributed to further strengthen cooperation between Turkey and Russia. 

The Kremlin meanwhile stated that "the conversation was business-like and constructive, directed at strengthening bilateral cooperation and interaction on the regional agenda."