Turkey, Russia vow to enhance strategic partnership

Turkey and Russia will take steps to "enhance strategic partnership," Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Tuesday.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey, Mevlut Cavusoglu (R) and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (L) shake hands during a joint press conference held within the 10th Ambassadors' Conference in Ankara, Turkey on August 14, 2018. [Photo:IC]

"We are at a turning point in the world. We are at a time of transition from bipolar order to multi-polarization," he said at a press conference with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu in Ankara.

Russia hopes that a reasonable approach will prevail in international relations and countries will return to a depoliticized dialogue, Lavrov said.

He also noted that Moscow appreciates Turkey's rejection to join the anti-Russia sanctions by the West, saying the U.S. "unlawful and illegitimate" sanctions policy cannot last for long.

U.S. sanctions, including the latest round targeting Turkey, undermine all principles of global trade and in time this move will undermine the role of U.S. dollar as a settlement currency, he said.

Lavrov said Russia and Turkey would continue talks for the full implementation of Astana deal which envisages de-escalation zones in Syria, including in Idlib.

The Turkish minister, for his part, stressed that "it will be a massacre to bomb all Idlib civilians, on the reason of there are terrorists."

Cavusoglu recalled Turkey's long-standing demand for lifting visa requirements for Turkish citizens travelling to Russia.