File photo: Russian President Vladimir Putin
Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet the Vietnamese Communist Party's General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong in Sochi on Sept. 6, the Kremlin said in a statement on Friday.
Regional issues and the strategic partnership between the two countries will be discussed, and several bilateral agreements will be signed.
The European Union needs a strategic relationship with Turkey, including in defence matters, and should modernise its post-Cold War relations with Russia, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday.Macron is a strong advocate for a Europe that is able to defend its strategic interests and financial independence and respond to new global economic and defence situation brought on by Donald Trump's presidency in the United States.He has sought to improve relations with Russia's President Vladimir Putin, although his efforts have been complicated by allegations of Russian meddling in elections from the United States to France and a nerve agent attack in Britain.Attacks against Turkey’s sovereignty will never deter us from our goals: Erdoğan"It is in our interest for the EU to have a strategic relationship with Turkey as well as with Russia that brings stability, that will in the long term and bring more strength and coherency," Macron said in a news conference in Helsinki alongside Finnish President Sauli Niinisto.He said the EU's relations with Russia needed to be "brought up to date", using the Italian word "aggiornamento"."I think that on matters like cybersecurity, defence, strategic relationships, we could envisage the outlines of a new relationship between Russia and the EU which is coherent with the direction Europe is headed in," Macron said."Stability in the whole region is in our interest."Turkish, Russian ministers discuss regional securityTurkey's Victory Day tells world 'we are here to stay’
France says EU needs strategic relationship with Turkey, Russia on defense
Russian and Turkish militaries are discussing "practical actions" against terrorists in Syria's Idlib, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Wednesday.Speaking at a news conference in Moscow following his meeting with his Saudi counterpart Adel al-Jubeir, Lavrov said the issue had been discussed a dozen of times between Moscow and Ankara over the last couple of months.Idlib was the main point in talks between Russian and Turkish ministers of foreign affairs and defense, and representatives of special forces several days ago in Moscow, he said.Russia's Lavrov says contacts with US on Syria's Idlib ongoing"The political understanding fully exists between Moscow and Ankara; it is urgent to separate normal armed opposition from the bandits of Al-Nusra Front and at the same time to prepare an operation against these terrorists, doing everything to minimize the risks to the civilian population," Lavrov said while referring to Idlib as "the last major hotbed of terrorists".Russian and Turkish militaries are talking to each other, he said."How to translate this political agreement into the language of practical actions -- it has been discussed by the militaries of Russia and Turkey, who handle the situation on the ground," he said.Active phase of Russia's SCO’s anti-terror drills startLavrov also said he expects the West to not obstruct the planned military operation against Al-Nusra Front in Idlib.Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said he had exchanged views with Lavrov on Idlib and the two ministers agreed on the necessity to fight terrorists in this region.Al-Jubeir added that Riyadh fully supports the political process in Syria. He recalled that the first ever conference of Syrian opposition had been organized with Saudi support and in the country's capital.Putin tells Russians he is softening unpopular pension reform'No bargain on security'About U.S. criticism concerning the possible purchase of Russian defense systems S-400 by Saudi Arabia, al-Jubeir said the country does not bargain over its security."There are two things in Saudi Arabia that we do not bargain on, security and faith. Our leadership is always striving to buy the most modern weapons for its army, to protect its sovereignty," he said.Al-Jubeir said the country's militaries consult, negotiate and sign contracts on the purchase of weapons, including those from Russia.Syrian foreign minister to visit Moscow on Thursday"Now talks are being held between the Russian and Saudi concerned persons in the defense domain on buying certain defense systems. And I would not like to interfere in the process and to anticipate their results," he said.Commenting on the U.S. withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal, Lavrov said the move was damaging to regional security.Meanwhile, his Saudi counterpart said the agreement was "weak" and called for strengthening the sanctions on Iran.US warns Syria, Russia on possible Idlib offensive"The [international agreement with Iran called] JCPOA is a weak agreement and does not provide for the adoption of active measures that would not allow Iran to continue its nuclear program as soon as possible. This agreement would end in 2025, and until then there was a danger that Tehran could build a nuclear bomb," al-Jubeir said.Lavrov said Russian President Vladimir Putin had not forgotten about Saudi king's invitation to visit the country.The exact dates and other details of the visit will be agreed via diplomatic channels later, he added.
Ankara, Moscow mull 'practical actions' in Idlib
President Vladimir Putin told Russians on Wednesday he had decided to dilute unpopular draft legislation to reform the pension system which has hurt his popularity, but said serious demographic challenges meant some kind of reform was necessary.Addressing the nation on television, Putin said the retirement age for women should be raised by five years rather than the eight years proposed by the government, and made detailed proposals to soften other aspects of the legislation.The government's proposals have pushed Putin's own popularity down to its lowest level in more than four years.US warns Syria, Russia on possible Idlib offensiveRussia reinforces naval forces in Mediterranean off Syrian coastTies to Russia no alternative to US, EU: Turkish FMRussia to hold biggest war games in nearly four decades
Putin tells Russians he is softening unpopular pension reform