Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he intends to personally discuss with Russian President Vladimir Putin the return of the commanders of the Azov Battalion (recognized as terrorist and banned in Russia – approx. ed.) from Turkey to Ukraine if he arrives in the country in August. This, according to RBC, Erdogan announced at a press conference following the NATO summit in Vilnius.
According to him, Ankara received a request for the release of six commanders. The Turkish authorities eventually gave a positive answer. Erdogan noted that if President Putin comes to visit Turkey in August, there will be an opportunity to discuss these issues with him again “in a tête-à-tête format.”
Recall that the other day, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the commander of Azov, Denis Prokopenko, had returned home, and. O. Commander of the 36th Separate Marine Brigade Sergey Volynsky, Deputy Commander Svyatoslav Palamar, Major of the National Guard Oleg Khomenko and Colonel of the National Guard Denis Shlega. In the Kremlin, the incident was regarded as a violation of the agreements on the part of Kyiv and Ankara. It was noted that the “Azov” were to remain in Turkey until the end of hostilities under the terms of the exchange.
Erdogan said last week that Turkey was expecting Putin to visit in August to discuss a “grain deal.” Moscow, however, indicated that the date of the head of state’s trip to the republic is still unknown.
Source: Rosbalt
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