President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said the date for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Türkiye will soon be set, as he touched upon his busy agenda in meeting with reporters in the capital Ankara on Tuesday.
In response to a question about Putin’s visit, Erdoğan said he frequently speaks with the Russian president and said he believes the date will soon be set.
Putin’s visit to Türkiye will likely take place in late April or early May. The trip, delayed twice since late last year, will mark Putin’s first visit to a NATO member state since he launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Putin and Erdoğan would discuss the gas hub, the war in Ukraine and the Black Sea grain exports during their meeting.
Ankara has sought to persuade Russia to return to the Black Sea Grain Initiative – brokered by Türkiye and the United Nations – that ensured the safe export of Ukrainian grain during the war via the Black Sea. Russia withdrew from the accord in July 2023 and has said it was not interested in reviving it.
Noting that the President of Tanzania will visit Türkiye, the president said the visit will be crucial for Türkiye as it is an important African country and the two leaders will get a chance to discuss diplomatic steps between the two countries, as well as investment opportunities.
Regarding his visit to Iraq, Erdoğan said the visit is expected to establish a different ground for bilateral ties.
"One of the most important topics of my visit is the water issue," the president said, adding that the two countries will strive to solve the water issue.
Erdoğan also said that after he visits Baghdad he may also visit Irbil and hold talks with authorities over there.
In June 2019, Türkiye established a group of 51 experts to deal with Iraq’s water issues. The group prepared a report at the time, including 11 main topics. In particular, the working group focuses on solving water problems in Basra to prevent diseases emanating from the usage of unhealthy water. Also, improving modern irrigation infrastructure and increasing productivity are the priorities for the group.
Previously, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan underlined that the two countries should work together on water management to prevent a water crisis in the region. During his meeting with Iraqi President Barham Salih in January 2019, Erdoğan stressed that there are serious problems in water management in Iraq, adding if the necessary steps are taken, the problem might be solved in a couple of years as this year Iraq received high precipitation.
Türkiye depends on water from the Tigris to fill a reservoir behind its Ilısu Dam near the Iraqi border. Iraq has asked for a larger share of the river's flow amid shortages, particularly in the southern province of Basra.