Russian President and Turkish counterpart discuss commissioning of the Akkuyu nuclear power plant

Moscow, Sept 1 (KUNA) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, today on Tuesday discussed ways to enhance bilateral relations and economic cooperation, and to accelerate the implementation of joint projects, with the Akkuyu nuclear power plant at the forefront.

Putin, in a meeting with Erdogan held in the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, said that Turkey is a distinguished partner of Russia in the fields of foreign policy and the economy, noting that Moscow and Ankara continue to implement several key joint projects, including the Akkuyu plant.

Putin expressed confidence that Rosatom will be able to launch the Akkuyu nuclear power plant unit in Turkey by 2026, while Moscow and Ankara continue preparations to complete the project.

On the economic and tourism fronts, the Russian president pointed to the growing number of Russian tourists traveling to Turkey, noting that their number reached approximately seven million in 2025.

For his part, President Erdogan proposed working jointly with the Russian side to inaugurate the Akkuyu plant, affirming that Ankara and Moscow are anticipating the plant’s opening and intend to take joint steps to advance this process.

Erdogan emphasized the importance of the talks being held by both sides in Bishkek, noting that Russian-Turkish relations are witnessing rapid development. (End) D.A.N./S.M.A.