VLADIVOSTOK, September 11. /TASS/. The presidents of Russia and Turkey, Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdogan respectively, will continue to stay in touch about a potential meeting, which can be organized quickly if necessary, but as of now there is no exact date, Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday.
"The leaders will certainly continue communicating. You all know well that they talk frequently over the telephone and their visits are coordinated quite quickly," Peskov said in an interview with the RBC TV channel on the sidelines of the 2023 Eastern Economic Forum (EEF).
"This is why there is no exact date as of today, but they agreed that if necessary they would not wait another year to meet," Peskov said. "They can meet quite promptly if necessary."
Asked how Ankara manages to balance its partner relations approach with Russia, the European Union and the United States, Peskov replied that "a good deal of sovereignty in the approach of the Turkish leadership and Turkey on the whole allows them to clearly define, prioritize and proceed from their own interests, even being a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Alliance [NATO]."
"That is exactly why Turkey upholds relations with all parties to the [Ukrainian] conflict, stays in friendly and constructive relations with Russia, implementing its de-facto and not de-jure right to claiming to be a negotiating part [in the conflict]," Peskov added.
The Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) is taking place in Vladivostok on September 10-13. The slogan for this year’s forum is: On the Path to Partnership, Peace and Prosperity. The Roscongress Foundation is the event organizer. TASS is the EEF’s general information partner.