Bilateral agenda, Ukraine, regional affairs to be discussed during Putin's visit to Turkey - Peskov

TULA. Feb 2 (Interfax) - Russian President Vladimir Putin is due to discuss Russian-Turkish relations, regional affairs and Ukraine with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan during his upcoming visit to Turkey, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

"The visit is being prepared. We are looking forward to this visit, especially as Putin and Erdogan agreed on it a long time ago. They have regular contacts, mostly by phone, while a number of in-person meetings are held each year. Every meeting of this kind has a packed agenda. Of course, it focuses on Russian-Turkish bilateral relations and our trade and economic cooperation in the first instance," Peskov told reporters on Friday.

"Obviously, they always discuss regional affairs, and of course Ukraine," he said.

"Turkey is one of the few countries that has taken a rather principled and independent stance" and which continues to develop trade and economic cooperation with Russia, Peskov said.

"The situation has many aspects. As is known, Turkey is experiencing unprecedented, often shameless pressure from the Anglo-Saxons, who are trying to force Turkey if not to sever then minimize its interaction with us, to the detriment of its interests. But Turkey remains sovereign," Peskov said.

The visit date will be announced in due time, he said.