Putin and Erdogan discussed the resumption of flights between Russia and Turkey

The President of Russia Vladimir Putin held telephone talks with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan during which they discussed the resumption of flights between the two countries, said “RIA Novosti” press Secretary of the head of state, Dmitry Peskov.

According to him, at the end of the conversation, the leaders of relevant departments gave instructions to start negotiations.

“The issue was raised. Have instructed relevant departments to start negotiations“, — said Peskov.

Reported a telephone conversation with Putin, talks appeared on the Kremlin website on July 13. It was noted that the two leaders discussed “prospects for the resumption of tourism with the improvement of the sanitary-epidemiological situation”.

On Wednesday, Turkish media, citing the Ministry of transport of Turkey said that the agreement on the resumption of flights has been reached and the flights will be resumed from July 15.

“We agreed on the resumption of flights to Russia today“, — told reporters the Minister of transport and technologies of Turkey Adil Karaosmanoglu. According to him, since then, the number of countries with which Turkey has resumed its flights to grow to 32, and with 20 States Ankara continues negotiations.

International regular and Charter flights because of the threat of the spread of coronavirus infection COVID-19 was suspended by the government of Russia from March 27. In early July a ban on such flights has been extended until 1 August, but on 10 July, Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova said on the start of negotiations on lifting restrictions.

The Turkish authorities have opened the country’s borders and lifted the ban on international flights on July 11. Since the beginning of the pandemic in Turkey there are about 215 thousand patients COVID-19, 5.4 million people died. Thus for July 13, 992 identified cases of infection, 20 people died.