Talks with Erdogan not smooth: Putin

Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin has said his Monday’s talks with his visiting Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, could not be called smooth but the two countries will continue efforts towards solutions to disputable matters.

“It was a concrete, working meeting. It was held in a business-like atmosphere,” he told a news conference after the talks. “For instance, we argued about levies on our metallurgical industry,” he said.

“In any case, solutions will be found. We will be working towards them and we will be finding them because we value the Turkish market and relations with the Turkish partners and friends.”

“But if you think the talks were serene and we were only praising one another, speaking about our achievements, you are wrong,” the Russian leader noted, adding that despite the fact that the trade balance looks to be for Russia’s benefit, it doesn’t mean that “the entire trade relations are in Russia’s favor.”

Putin stressed that cooperation between the two countries is not for the benefit of either of them. “It is for the benefit of the people of Turkey and the people of Russia and as for the equilibrium, we will look after that,” he added.