Turkey's Erdogan turns to Putin as tensions rise with the West

(Worthy News) - Nine months after Turkish forces shot a Russian warplane out of the sky near the Syrian border, the bad blood between the countries is over.

Following talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in St. Petersburg Tuesday, the two leaders announced they were restoring their bilateral relationship to the levels that existed prior to the shootdown last November.

"This meeting has a very significant importance for the fate of the Russia-Turkey relationship," said Putin, at a news conference where he was repeatedly referred to by Erdogan as a "dear friend."

The Turkish leader said the economic and political relationship between the two countries would be strengthened to become stronger and more resilient.

"Both parties are determined to improve bilateral relations and it is my assumption that the communities of both countries have this expectation of us," said Erdogan. [ Source ]