Turkey, Russia to seek new ways to deepen economic ties despite disagreements in Syria, Ukraine

Moscow and Ankara will likely focus on finding new ways to enhance their already-tight relationship during Russian president's high-level Ankara visit, putting their foreign policy differences aside Turkish and Russian presidents, along with a number of ministers will meet today to seek ways to further increase economic and energy cooperation, as well as to multiply trade volume despite disagreements in a number of international issues, including Syria, Ukraine and Cyprus.

The Turkey-Russia High-Level Cooperation Council will be held in Ankara under the co-leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Russian President Vladimir Putin with the participation of 10 ministers from both sides. Established in 2010, the council's ultimate objective is to increase the current $33 billion trade volume to $100 billion by the year of 2020 and make the two countries each other's top trade and economic partner.

Putin and his large delegation are expected to arrive in Ankara early Dec. 1 where teams from the two countries will hold intense meetings. Erdoğan and Putin will lead talks and will later hold a joint press conference to announce results of this year's council meetings. The Russian delegation will leave Ankara following the conclusion of the talks. The meetings are expected to take place in the new presidential palace as Putin will become the second leader hosted in the new premises after Pope Francis.

The most important agenda of the council meeting will be deepening economic relations by diversifying fields of cooperation. Turkey and Russia increased trade volume to nearly $33 billion in 2014, but are seeking new opportunities to triple it by the year of 2020. In an interview with Anadolu Agency before his trip...