Kremlin expects greater cooperation with Turkey regardless of elections

Cooperation between Moscow and Ankara is truly mutually beneficial, so the Kremlin expects it to expand, regardless of the results of the presidential elections in Turkey. Russia will respect the choice of the Turkish people, said Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

Russia and Turkey cooperate in the field of energy, tourism, trade, agriculture, road and air transportation, and this cooperation is in the interests of the peoples of the Russian Federation and Turkey, Peskov stressed.

“That is why, of course, we are following the news coming from Turkey these days with great interest, with great attention. We respect and will treat the choice of the Turkish people. But in any case, we expect our cooperation to continue, deepen and expand,” he said.

Asked if the United States could organize a “Turkish Maidan” before the second round of elections, Peskov stressed that Turkey is a strong democratic country that can ensure transparent and democratic elections and prevent any illegal actions.

“We have no doubt about that,” he added.

The presidential elections in Turkey may be extended for a second round, since none of the candidates won the required 50% of the vote, Vedomosti wrote earlier. According to the Evrensel agency, after processing 99.83% of the ballots, the incumbent Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan scored 49.25%. His main opponent, Republican People’s Party leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, received 45.05%, while the Nationalist Alliance candidate Sinan Ogan received 5.28%. According to the data provided by the state TV channel TRT Haber, after counting 99.9% of the ballots, Erdogan gains 49.34%, and Kılıçdaroglu – 45%.

The Erdogan-led Justice and Development Party (AK Parti) is also leading in parliamentary elections, with 35.42% of the vote and 266 seats in parliament after processing 98.62% of the ballots, according to preliminary data. The Republican People’s Party, led by Kılıçdaroglu, won 25.4% and 168 seats.