Russian, Turkish Presidents To Meet In Ankara

Russian President Vladimir Putin is to meet with his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in Ankara on December 1.

Putin's foreign policy adviser Yury Ushakov said the meeting would focus on the Syria conflict.

The two countries appear so far to have successfully shielded their relations from potentially damaging disputes over the crises in Syria and Ukraine.

Russia remains a key ally of Bashar al-Assad's regime, while Erdogan is pressing for the Syrian president to be ousted.

Ankara opposed Russia's annexation of Crimea in March and is worried about the situation of the Ukrainian peninsula's Turkic Crimean Tatar minority who, according to activists, are the victims of persecution by the new authorities.

Putin and Erdogan are also expected to discuss energy cooperation, with Ankara seeking a reduction in gas prices from Russia and greater import volumes ahead of the winter.

Based on reporting by AFP and TASS