MOSCOW, Wednesday, June 17, 2026 (WNP): Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday reaffirmed the strength of Russia-Türkiye relations, describing the bilateral partnership as one that has evolved beyond formal diplomacy into a genuine friendship marked by expanding cooperation, mutual trust and regular high-level dialogue.
Welcoming Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan to the Kremlin, President Putin said he was pleased to receive the visiting minister in Moscow and expressed satisfaction over the productive meetings he had held with his Russian counterpart and representatives of various Russian government institutions.
“Mr. Minister, I am very pleased to see you. Welcome to Russia,” President Putin said.
He noted that Fidan’s visit had included a comprehensive series of engagements with senior Russian officials, reflecting the close consultation and growing strategic cooperation between the two countries.
The Russian president said bilateral relations had continued to develop steadily and were expanding across political, economic and regional issues.
“Our relations are progressing continuously. We are very pleased with this. Our contacts have long ceased to be merely formal; they have truly become friendly in nature and continue to grow stronger and deeper with time,” Putin said.
He attributed the positive momentum in bilateral ties to the constructive approach adopted by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
“The most important role in this has been played by the positive and constructive position of the President of the Republic of Türkiye. Please convey my best wishes to him. We will always be delighted to welcome him to Russia,” the Russian president said.
Putin added that he looked forward to exchanging views with the Turkish foreign minister on current regional and international developments of mutual interest.
“I am pleased that today we have another opportunity to discuss the issues that are important to both our countries,” he said.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan thanked President Putin for receiving him despite his busy schedule and conveyed the warm greetings and best wishes of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
“Mr. President, thank you very much for making time for this meeting despite your busy schedule. I would like to convey to you the greetings of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, along with his warm regards and best wishes,” Fidan said.
The Turkish foreign minister noted that the region and the wider international community were witnessing significant developments that required close consultation between the two countries.
“Indeed, very important developments are taking place in our region and around the world. Your views on certain issues are of great importance. There are many significant matters that we will discuss,” he said.
Fidan informed President Putin that he and his delegation had spent the previous two days engaged in intensive discussions with Russian officials on a wide range of bilateral, regional and international issues.
“For the past two days, our colleagues and I have been engaged in very intensive meetings. Thankfully, we have had detailed exchanges of views on many issues. Once again, I would like to thank you for providing this opportunity,” he added.
The meeting underscored the continued commitment of Moscow and Ankara to maintaining high-level political dialogue, expanding bilateral cooperation and coordinating closely on key regional and international developments.
