Türkiye and Russia are preparing to pursue additional nuclear power projects once the Akkuyu plant begins operations, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said during talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Bishkek on Sept. 1.
The two leaders met on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in the Kyrgyz capital.
Erdoğan said the Russian-built Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant had entered its final phase and Ankara was waiting to inaugurate it.
“We are now waiting for the Akkuyu plant to be completed so that we can inaugurate it,” he said.
“With its opening, we will take steps together toward new nuclear plants.”
Putin described Türkiye as one of Russia’s “privileged partners” in foreign policy and economic affairs, saying joint projects continued to advance.
“You have set the goal of commissioning the plant’s first unit this year. This will happen,” Putin said.
Erdoğan said bilateral relations were at their most advanced level to date, citing cooperation in energy and agriculture as well as the importance of Russian tourists to Türkiye.
Addressing an expanded session of the SCO summit earlier in the day, Erdoğan said the organization, representing nearly 3.5 billion people and $35 trillion in economic output, had become an important part of the multipolar order.
Türkiye regarded the SCO as a complement to the United Nations and would seek closer cooperation with the organization, particularly on transport corridors and energy security, he said.
Erdoğan called for closer alignment between the Trans-Caspian Middle Corridor and China’s Belt and Road Initiative, saying Türkiye played a central role in connecting SCO countries with Western markets.
He also invited participating leaders to the COP31 World Leaders Summit in Antalya on Nov. 11-12.
In separate talks with Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, Erdoğan discussed cooperation in energy, defense, trade, investment and counterterrorism.
He invited Japarov to the Organization of Turkic States summit in Türkiye and to COP31.
