Putin and Erdoğan discuss pandemic over the phone

* Photo: Anadolu Agency (AA) - Archive

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President and ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Russia's President Vladimir Putin, in a phone call yesterday, discussed the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak and Russia's Sputnik V vaccine set to be used in Turkey.

As reported by the state-run Anadolu Agency (AA) based on a statement from the Kremlin, President Putin stressed "Russia's readiness to start deliveries to Turkey of the Sputnik V vaccine this month."

The Presidents of Russia and Turkey, working on joint production of Sputnik V in Turkey, reportedly shared the view that "anti-pandemic measures will make it possible to achieve a drastic improvement in the situation and to resume bilateral tourist ties," according to the statement.

The two presidents also "praised the countries' cooperation on Syria and agreed to continue their efforts for a political solution."

They also agreed to "further support the efforts of Libya's Government of National Accord (GNA) to strengthen the country's integrity, with due consideration for the interests of the main political forces and regions."

On the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement reached last November, Erdoğan addressed the activities of the Russian-Turkish Center for Monitoring the Ceasefire and all military operations in the former conflict zone.

Statement from Turkey's Presidency

Separately, a statement from the Presidency of Turkey has said that President and AKP Chair Erdoğan "voiced Turkey's expectation that the shipment of Sputnik V vaccine, to be delivered from Russia to Turkey pursuant to the agreement made, would be carried out as had planned."

He also "welcomed the addition of vaccine production to the many fields of existing cooperation between the two countries."

Noting the importance of Turkey-Russia cooperation in ensuring lasting stability in Syria, he stressed that "the regional normalization and stabilization process should also be used well in the Upper Karabakh issue." (EMK/SD)