Erdogan says Turkey would consider full membership of China- and Russia-led security bloc

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, to discuss strengthening economic relations and continuing nuclear development projects. The two leaders highlighted their strong bilateral ties and emphasized that cooperation in the energy sector would remain a priority.

The Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant, Turkey's first and largest nuclear project, is being developed by the Russian state-owned corporation Rosatom. The plant is located on Turkey's Mediterranean coast in Mersin Province, and it is expected to have a total capacity of 4,800 MW when all four VVER-1200 reactors are operational. This capacity would account for approximately 10% of Turkey's total energy consumption.

Erdogan stated that Turkey plans to build additional nuclear power plants in collaboration with Russia in the future, with the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant serving as the starting point for these new projects. The heads of state also discussed expanding economic ties beyond the energy sector, with agriculture and tourism being key areas of focus. According to Erdogan, Russian tourists are among the most important visitors to Turkey, making tourism a crucial aspect of the bilateral relationship.

The SCO summit also saw Putin meeting with Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian. Pezeshkian expressed gratitude to Putin for Russia's stance on the war in Iran and the subsequent sanctions imposed by the United States. Both leaders emphasized their shared resolve to resist what Pezeshkian termed US unilateralism. Putin assured Pezeshkian that Moscow and Tehran will continue to maintain a strong economic and trade relationship, even during this challenging period, as they work to supply essential goods to each other.