Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on his presidential election victory on Sunday.
Putin expressed appreciation for Erdogan’s contribution to the building of “friendly” ties between Moscow and Ankara, and his willingness to maintain “constructive dialogue” on bilateral, regional, and international issues, according to a Kremlin statement.
“The election victory was a natural result of your selfless work as President of the Republic of Turkey, and it is clear evidence of the Turkish people’s support for your efforts to strengthen state sovereignty and pursue an independent, self-sustaining foreign policy,” he added.
Russia values the continuation of collaborative projects with Turkey, notably the Akkuyu nuclear power plant in southern Turkey and the establishment of a gas hub in the nation, according to Putin.
According to Ahmet Yener, chairman of the Supreme Election Council (YSK), with 75.42% of the votes counted, Erdogan leads the runoff election with 53.41%, while opposition candidate Kemal Kilicdaroglu has 46.59%.
On May 14, no contender received 50% of the vote in the first round, necessitating the presidential runoff, despite Erdogan led with 49.52%. On that date, his electoral alliance also gained a parliamentary majority.