ANKARA, May 27. /TASS/. The message from Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Russian President Vladimir Putin, conveyed by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, probably concerned expectations that the talks between Moscow and Kiev will continue in Istanbul, Aydin Sezer, political scientist and economist, former Turkish trade representative to Russia, told TASS.
"As for Erdogan's message to Putin, it may have been simply a request to continue talks on the Ukrainian issue, and the main point here is the expectation that further talks will be held in Istanbul. Erdogan attaches great importance to holding these contacts in Istanbul, in Turkey. For him, this is also a great success from the point of view of domestic policy," Sezer noted.
The expert added that "the proposal <...> to hold talks in the Vatican has worried Erdogan."
He noted that, overall, Fidan's trip to Moscow and his meetings with high-ranking Russian representatives, including Russian presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, "are a positive event and an important gesture." But at the same time, the expert believes that this visit is still "part of a chain of routine meetings."
Earlier, Fidan said at a press conference in Moscow that during a meeting with Putin on May 26, "he conveyed greetings and valuable messages from Erdogan."
The Turkish Foreign Minister also indicated that during contacts with the Russian leadership, he "made it clear that [Ankara] is ready to make any contribution" in the context of the Ukrainian settlement and is ready "to accept negotiations at any time."
In addition, Fidan noted that he "conveyed [to the Russian side] a request to hold further meetings [between Russia and Ukraine] in Turkey.".