Nov 30, 2014

Video: Putin to Push Trade in Turkey Despite Disagreement on Syria

Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to Turkey on Monday will have trade and energy issues at its heart, but is not expected to bridge deep differences over Syria and Crimea. The two issues have tested a relationship usually kept on track by mutual economic advantage: Russia is Turkey's main energy supplier, and Ankara is Moscow's second biggest trade partner after Germany.

With Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan and Putin set to chair the fifth annual meeting of a council to improve trade and relations, officials on both sides said several deals are expected to be signed.

The announcement of a revision to natural gas prices, negotiated by Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yildiz during a trip to Moscow earlier this week, may be delayed, a senior Turkish official told Reuters, but talks will continue to boost trade towards a target of $100 billion by 2020.

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