Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Vladimir Putin

Recep Tayyip Erdogan views Vladimir Putin as a crucial partner with whom he seeks to maintain strong bilateral relations, particularly in energy and trade, while jointly managing regional crises. Following a meeting, the Turkish President expressed hope that peace in the Russia-Ukraine war was "not far away," suggesting an active mediation role for Ankara between Moscow and the West. He has also engaged in direct dialogue to de-escalate tensions, such as when he spoke with the Russian President following the Israel-Iran conflict, emphasizing diplomacy as the only path to resolution and stressing that the ongoing Gaza situation must not be overshadowed.

This pragmatic engagement has seen evolution, notably concerning the 2015 downing of a Russian jet, where Erdogan later expressed deep regret and offered condolences to the pilot's family, signaling a strong desire to restore friendly ties. The leaders regularly maintain contacts, agreeing to promote negotiation processes and keep Istanbul available as a platform for talks. While Ankara leverages its unique position within NATO to engage Russia on sensitive issues like Ukraine, the relationship's primary driver remains the commitment to expanding trade, investment, and strategic energy projects.