RPT: PREVIEW - Russian, Turkish Presidents To Hold Meeting In Moscow On Monday

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 08th April, 2019) Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, will hold bilateral talks in the Russian capital on Monday, with the two leaders also set to attend the 8th meeting of the High-Level Russian-Turkish Cooperation Council.

"Both presidents meet each other more than any other presidents at this scale. Turkey and Russia [are] 'regaining' their trust [in] each other and President Erdogan has more confidence in Putin than [in] US President Donald Trump and US Senate," Huseyin Bagci, a professor of international relations at middle East Technical University in Ankara, told Sputnik.

During their meeting, the two leaders will address both bilateral and international issues, with some of the most sensitive issues expected to be discussed tete-a-tete.

"The main topic will be S-400 [Russian air defense systems], the deal is done for Turkey and the delivery is expected in July. This is a 'trouble' between NATO and Turkey and as well as US administration ... America will consider Turkey as 'second chosen enemy' after Iran," the expert noted.

At the same time, the professor believes the possible subsequent crisis in Turkish-US relations will be manageable and Ankara will retain its NATO membership.

"There is no mechanism there to force Turkey to give up NATO membership ... Turkey will not shift her policy concerning NATO. NATO is still the 'safe haven' for Turkey and will remain so. It is not S-400 versus NATO bur rather US-versus Turkey case and it is not a 'deep crisis,'" Bagci explained.

The two sides will also touch upon Syria, in particular, the assistance to the Arab state in its efforts aimed at launching the country's constitutional committee, upon Washington's plans in Syria in the context of the US troops' withdrawal from the country and the implementation of the Russia-Turkey memorandum on Idlib.

"Concerning Idlib there will not be big steps to solve the problem but Turkey and Russia will continue to control area together," Bagci believes.

The two leaders are also expected to address the construction of the TurkStream gas pipeline and the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant in Turkey.

Apart from their bilateral talks, Putin and Erdogan are also expected to meet with Russian and Turkish businesspeople in the Kremlin and deliver opening remarks at the opening ceremony of the bilateral cross-year of culture and tourism at the Bolshoi Theater in downtown Moscow.