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Putin, Erdogan emerge all smiles from Ankara meeting

As Turkey becomes more alienated from the West, Moscow is filling the gap by extending its friendship — and more — to Ankara.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin meet at the Presidential Palace in Ankara, Turkey September 28, 2017. Sputnik/Mikhail Klimentyev/Kremlin via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. - RC165B5348C0

Days before the meeting this week between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara, the press in both countries was busy discussing the potential issues on the agenda: Syria, the Iraqi Kurdistan independence referendum, Turkey’s purchase of Russia’s S-400 defense system and — last, but very important to Turkey — Russia’s embargo on Turkish tomatoes.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov only added to the speculation by saying the day before the meeting that the visit had “solely pragmatic goals.”

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