Russia-Turkey Trade In First 9 Months Of 2020 Amounts To $14Bln Despite COVID-19 - Ankara

ANKARA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 24th November, 2020) Trade turnover between Russia and Turkey has amounted to $14 billion over the first nine months of 2020 despite the coronavirus pandemic, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Tuesday.

Over the same period of last year, trade reached $19.6 billion.

"Despite the pandemic, bilateral trade with Russia in the first nine months of this year has amounted to $14 billion, while the number of Russian tourists that we received in our country has reached 1.9 million as of October. This indicates the level of our bilateral relations," Cavusoglu said during his address at the parliament's budget commission.

According to the minister, relations with Russia are an important aspect of Turkey's foreign policy. They are based on a common interest and mutual respect, and are further developing in a positive manner, the diplomat argued.

The diplomat added that such projects as the Turk Stream gas pipeline, which was opened on January 8, and the Akkuyu nuclear power plant, which is set to commission in 2023, were the main brands of the bilateral relations.

The coronavirus pandemic has severely affected the global economy since most countries were forced to close their borders and introduce lockdowns to curb the spread of the virus. As a result, many economies crumbled under the pressure of heavy unemployment and health care expenditures. In addition, the closed borders have affected international trade, with most countries seeing a drop in foreign trade.