President Putin Calls President Erdogan, Kremlin: Discuss Global Issues To Syria And Libya Crisis

JAKARTA - Russian President Vladimir Putin called his colleague Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, reaffirming the two leaders' determination to enhance the two countries' partnership, as well as global issues, according to the Kremlin's press service.

"President Vladimir Putin and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan wished each other a happy New Year, reviewed bilateral cooperation and reaffirmed their determination to continue enhancing the mutually beneficial partnership between Russia and Turkey," the Kremlin said.

"The parties also touched on global issues, including recent proposals on the development of a legally binding agreement that would guarantee Russia's security, the situation in the South Caucasus and efforts to resolve the Syrian and Libyan crises," the statement continued.

The Kremlin underlined that President Putin and President Erdogan agreed to maintain contact, the Kremlin press service said.

According to Daily Sabah, Turkey and Russia have forged close cooperation in the fields of energy, tourism and defense despite the rivalry in Syria as well as in the conflicts in Libya and Nagorno-Karabakh, where the two regional powers are also on opposite sides.

Turkey, a NATO member, bought Russia's S-400 missile defense battery in 2019, triggering US sanctions against its defense industry and warnings from Washington about further action if it buys more Russian equipment.

Meanwhile, Turkey, along with other NATO members, criticized Moscow's 2014 annexation of Crimea and voiced support for Ukraine's territorial integrity as Kyiv forces battle pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine.