Putin, Erdogan Meet in Russia to Strengthen Ties

Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during a news conference following their meeting in St. Petersburg, Russia on August 9, 2016. (Photo: Reuters/Sergei Karpukhin)

ST. PETERSBURG (Reuters)””Russia and Turkey took a big step toward normalizing ties on Tuesday when Russian President Vladimir Putin met his visiting Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan, at a time when both countries have strained relations with the West.

An official in Erdogan’s office said there was a clear consensus about improving relations that were damaged when Turkey shot down a Russian warplane near the Syrian border late last year. “The general mood has been very positive,”