Erdogan, Putin agree to continue Turkey's nuclear development, improve economic relations

Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Turkey and Russia are preparing to move beyond the Akkuyu nuclear project and build more power plants together.

Erdogan made the comment after meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Putin said Moscow planned to continue developing nuclear and economic ties with Ankara and pointed to Akkuyu as one of the countries’ main joint projects.

“You have set a target of commissioning the first unit of the plant this year. This will happen,” Putin told Erdogan. Erdogan responded that “with the opening of the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant, we will also take steps together to open some new power plants,” adding that preparations were already under way.

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With the opening of the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant, we will also take steps together to open some new power plants

Russia’s state-owned Rosatom is developing Akkuyu on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast in Mersin province. The project comprises four VVER-1200 reactor units with a planned combined capacity of 4,800 megawatts. The plant is expected to account for 10% of Turkey’s total energy consumption.

The two presidents also discussed cooperation outside energy, focusing on agriculture and tourism. Erdogan said Russian visitors rank among the most important groups of tourists for Turkey. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and National Intelligence Organization chief Ibrahim Kalin attended the meeting.

Putin separately met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian at the summit. Pezeshkian thanked Moscow for its position on the war in Iran and the resulting sanctions, while both leaders said Russia and Iran could resist what they called U.S. “unilateralism.”

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You have set a target of commissioning the first unit of the plant this year. This will happen