Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will host Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Wednesday to inaugurate a new gas pipeline , with tensions in Libya and Syria also on the agenda .

Putin arrived late on Tuesday after paying a surprise visit to Syria – his first to Damascus since the war began – at a moment of acute uncertainty in the Middle East following the assassination of top Iranian general Qasem Soleimani by the United States.

Russia’ s leader will seek to boost his credentials as a regional powerbroker at the symbolic opening of the TurkStream pipeline , which brings Russian gas to Turkey and southern Europe via the Black Sea .

TurkStream and the Nord Stream pipelines under the Baltic allow Russia to increase gas supplies to Europe without having to rely on Ukraine .

But Moscow ’ s increasing domination of European energy markets has worried the US , which last month sanctioned firms working on TurkStream and the almost completed Nord Stream 2 .

The ceremony in Istanbul , due to start at 1200 GMT , reflects a dramatic improvement in ties between Russia and Turkey – two countries seemingly on the verge of war less than five years ago after Turkey shot down a Russian jet .

They remain on opposing sides in the Syria conflict and could be on a collision course in Libya .

Last week , Turkey sent its first troops to help defend the UN -backed Tripoli government , which is under siege from strongman Khalifa Haftar.

Erdogan says 2 , 500 Russian mercenaries are among those supporting Haftar — claims denied by Moscow.

But Russia so far seems unfazed by the Turkish deployment in Libya , said Mariana Belenkaia , of the Carnegie Centre in Moscow.

“ The two countries will likely be tempted to share the Libyan burden , ” she said .
– Russian demands ‘ are simple ’ –
Syria remains a potential powder -keg for Erdogan and Putin ’ s relationship .

Syrian government forces – backed by Russia – have ramped up bombardment of the last rebel strongholds in Idlib province in recent weeks , sending hundreds of thousands fleeing towards the Turkish border .

Erdogan has called for a truce in Idlib , following previous temporary halts to the fighting brokered with Russia in late 2018 and updated in August last year.

“ Russia’ s demands are very simple , ” said Yury Barmin, of the Moscow Policy Group think tank , “ Turkey must do more to eliminate terrorist cells in Idlib. The discussions will be around this idea . ”

Improved ties between the two countries have been facilitated by a number of major energy and defence deals — Russia is building Turkey ’ s first nuclear plant and provided a missile defence system .

Putin also earned goodwill in Turkey after his quick support for Erdogan following an attempted coup in July 2016 .

The two men have developed a “ strong personal relationship ” , according to Jana Jabbour of Sciences Po university in Paris , who adds that “ their economic and energy plans are interdependent ” .

The TurkStream project , which was temporarily halted during a frosty patch in Russia- Turkey relations , includes two parallel pipelines of more than 900 kilometres ( 550 miles ) .

The pipeline links Anapa in Russia to Kiyikoy in northwestern Turkey and has already begun deliveries to Bulgaria . It is being extended towards Serbia , Hungary and Austria .

AFP

Share on:  Whatsapp  Twitter  Facebook