Türkiye and Russia pledge to deepen parliamentary cooperation

The heads of Turkish and Russian parliaments pledged to boost bilateral cooperation between the two nations during high-level talks in Ankara on Thursday, emphasizing their shared positions on regional conflicts and trade ambitions.

Valentina Matviyenko, chairwoman of Russia’s Federation Council, met with Türkiye Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus in a visit that underscored the growing strategic partnership between Moscow and Ankara despite geopolitical challenges.

“The multifaceted cooperation between our two countries benefits both nations,” Matviyenko said during a joint press conference at the Turkish Parliament. She emphasized that relations should be built on “mutual interest, respect, and balance of interests.”

The Türkiye parliament speaker highlighted that bilateral trade has reached $54 billion but noted this was “important but not yet sufficient,” with both sides working toward their shared goal of reaching $100 billion in trade volume.

Ukraine peace efforts

Both officials addressed Russia’s ongoing war with Ukraine, now entering its fourth year, with Kurtulmus reiterating Türkiye’s position as a potential mediator.

“As Türkiye, our stance since the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine war has been extremely clear,” Kurtulmus said. “We are ready to provide all kinds of support to ensure this peace, including mediation and facilitation in any negotiations.”

Matviyenko expressed gratitude toward Türkiye’s approach, stating: “I would like to thank President (Recep Tayyip) Erdogan and the Turkish administration for favoring a peaceful solution to the Ukraine crisis. Serious steps are being taken for this.”

She referenced the 2022 Istanbul talks between Russia and Ukraine, claiming that an agreement had been nearly reached before Ukraine allegedly stepped back from the negotiations.

Middle East concerns

The officials also discussed the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, particularly in Syria and Gaza.

Regarding Syria, Kurtulmus outlined Türkiye’s three key expectations from the new Syrian administration: ensuring Syria’s territorial integrity, establishing an inclusive system representing all groups, and eliminating terrorist organizations including Daesh and PYD/YPG.

Both leaders expressed support for Palestinian statehood, with Kurtulmus strongly condemning Israel’s actions in Gaza.

“Netanyahu’s genocidal policies are absolutely unacceptable,” Kurtulmus declared. “It has become clearly understood by everyone that there is no solution other than a two-state solution in the region.”

Strategic energy partnership

Matviyenko highlighted energy cooperation as a strategic area in bilateral relations, pointing to the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant as a “clear example” of economic collaboration between the two nations.

Kurtulmus noted that despite some delays caused by sanctions against Russia, the first reactor at Akkuyu is expected to become operational by the end of this year.

The Russian official also mentioned that high-level diplomatic contacts had intensified, pointing to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s recent meetings in Ankara on Monday.

The visit comes as Russian and American officials were simultaneously meeting in Istanbul to discuss regional issues, a development that both parliamentary leaders acknowledged as significant.

Tourism was another bright spot, with Kurtulmus noting that 6.7 million Russian tourists visited Türkiye in 2023, with hopes for over 7 million this year.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was scheduled to receive Matviyenko later in the day, further cementing the high-level diplomatic engagement between the two nations.