Contents tagged with turkey

  • Erdogan to visit Russia in January

    Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is planning to visit Russia to hold negotiations with his colleague Vladimir Putin, Anadolu Agency reported, without any official confirmation.

    According to the news agency, the heads of state will discuss the situation in Syria and the contract for Ankara’s purchase of S-400 anti-air missile systems from Russia.

    Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov later confirmed that preparations are being made for the presidents to meet, Interfax reports. “The leaders …

  • Poroshenko discusses with Erdogan release of Ukrainian political prisoners from Russian prisons

    Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Istanbul, , Poroshenko’s website reports.

    "Special attention was paid to the liberation of illegally imprisoned Ukrainian citizens from Russian prisons and ensuring the rights of Ukrainians, including the Crimean Tatars in the territory of the Crimea under Russian occupation,” the statement reads.

    During the meeting, leaders of both countries also discussed the prospects of bilateral agreement on the free …

  • Patriarch Bartholomew: Ukrainian nation waited seven centuries for autocephaly

    After signing the Tomos of Autocephaly (independence) for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew said in his address to Metropolitan Epiphany that the Ukrainian nation has been awaiting this day for seven centuries.

    “Today, light and joy, peace and unity will fill the holy church of Ukraine, which in your hands is receiving a Tomos of its official recognition and declaration as an autocephalous church, which brings it to the level of the 14 sister-churches that …

  • US makes Turkey an offer for Patriot air-defense systems

    The US has offered to sell Patriot anti-air and anti-missile defense systems to Turkey. An American delegation that arrived earlier in Ankara is still meeting with Turkey’s Defense Ministry, Interior Ministry and Defense Industry Ministry to discuss the deal, Anadolu reported on Thursday.

    On December 19, the US State Department approved the decision to sell Turkey the Patriot systems for $3.5 billion. “The State Department has approved the decision to supply Turkey with 80 MIM-104E interceptor …

  • Dzhemilev: Turkey fights for the release of Ukrainian sailors detained by Russia

    Ukrainian MP Mustafa Dzhemilev said in an interview with Ukrinform that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan instructed the Turkish Foreign Minister to press Russia about the recent Kerch Strait issues. 

    "Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu stated that President Erdogan instructed him to raise on all platforms the issue of free navigation through the Kerch Strait and the need to return our captured ships," said Dzhemilev. 

    Dzhemilev said the question about the imprisoned sailors’  …

  • Kremlin: Moscow hopes that Israel and Turkey will recognize Crimea’s annexation by Russia

    Moscow hopes that Israel and Turkey will eventually recognize the "legitimacy of the reunification of the Crimea and the Russian Federation", said Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

    “There are several issues where our positions diverge. In the context of Crimea, neither Ankara nor Tel Aviv are yet ready to agree to our reasons that the process of Crimea’s reunification with Russia was fully compliant with the international law, and that no other term can be applied here,” Peskov …

  • Turkey announces new military operation in Syria

    Turkish President Recep Erdogan stated that the Turkish army would soon begin a new military operation in northern Syria, Anadolu agency reports.

    “Turkey has prevented a major humanitarian crisis in Idlib. Now it is time to destroy terrorists operating to the east of the Euphrates river. Our goal is to destroy the terrorists in the area,” he stated.

    By terrorists, Erdogan means the Kurdish National People’s Protection Units (YPG).

    “We clearly define YPG militants as terrorists, while Ankara’ …

  • Erdogan speaks with Putin after the conversation with Ukrainian President Poroshenko

    President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin during which the parties discussed the situation in the Black Sea region, stated the Kremlin’s website. Turkey initiated the talks.

    The Kremlin stated that Erdogan and Putin exchanged their views regarding the incident in the Kerch Strait where Russia captured three Ukrainian ships and twenty-four sailors. "In the context of the dangerous incident in the region of the Kerch Strait …

  • Media: Gas supplies via Turkish Stream will go through Hungary and Slovakia bypassing Ukraine

    The Russian gas monopoly Gazprom chose its gas supplies’ route to Europe along the second Turkish Stream line. It will go through Bulgaria, Serbia, Hungary and Slovakia, reported the Russian newspaper Kommersant citing materials published by the countries’ gas transmission operators.

    These materials were published in October-November as part of the procedure for booking future capacity (open season) which is stipulated by the legislation of the European Union (NC CAM) and is necessary for the …

  • Ukrainian journalist reveals how many combat drones Ukraine is buying from Turkey

    Ukraine will be purchasing six combat drones from Turkey, and 200 missiles for them, journalist Yuriy Butusov reported on Facebook.

    “Also in the deal are two control stations, a set of spare parts, service support, and personnel training. The cost of the contract is $69 million,” he writes.

    The journalist believes that acquiring the drones will be beneficial for Ukraine.

    “I understand the criticism, but nevertheless, I think that buying the Bayraktars is extremely beneficial for Ukraine at …