Russia and Turkey are ‘close’ but will disagree, Lavrov says

Russia has good ties with Turkey but will sometimes disagree, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Saturday.

“We have very good relations with Turkey, that does not mean we have to agree on everything. Full agreement on all issues cannot be possible between any two countries,” Lavrov told the Munich Security Council.

Turkey purchased the Russian S-400 air defense system despite opposition from NATO ally US and the threat of sanctions, and despite the fact the two countries support opposing sides in the ongoing Libya conflict.

Meanwhile, Turkey said differences over Syria “shouldn’t affect” relations with Russia.

“The differences of opinion in Syria shouldn’t affect Turkey-Russia relations. The situation in Idlib will not affect the S-400 agreement,” broadcaster NTV reported Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu as saying.

Rebel backer Turkey and Damascus ally Russia have worked closely on Syria although they are on opposite sides of the war.

Cavusoglu met with Lavrov on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference and, in a tweet, described their meeting as “positive.”

Cavusoglu said that a Turkish delegation would go to Moscow on Monday. “(We) agreed on making an evaluation after these meetings,” the Turkish minister added.

A Russian delegation including military and intelligence officials had already held talks in Ankara last weekend, but no concrete agreement emerged.