https://ahvalnews.com/-Moscow and Ankara will maintain relations despite differences of opinion over the Ukrainian crisis, Turkish Sputnik cited Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying on Tuesday.
The Kremlin spokesman’s remarks arrive after Turkey condemned Russia’s decision to formally recognise the independence of two rebel-controlled regions in eastern Ukraine amid ongoing tensions at the Russia-Ukraine border.
“You know that we also have differences of opinion with the Turks over the Crimea issue, but this does not prevent us from maintaining relations,” Peskov told reporters, referring to Ankara’s opposition to Russia’s occupation of the Crimean Peninsula in 2014.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Tuesday told his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskiy that Turkey opposes any decision targeting Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
Asked whether Erdoğan’s statements on the recognition of Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics will affect Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Turkey, Peskov replied that Moscow failed to see “any connection between Erdoğan’s statements and Putin’s visit yet”.
Turkey maintains good relations with both Russia and Ukraine and has established a robust political and defence ties with Ukraine over the past few years.
Peskov stated that it is possible for Russia and Ukraine to establish relations despite the ongoing escalation.
“There is nothing impossible. If the parties take a responsible attitude, treat each other with respect and keep promises, then anything is possible,” Peskov said.