ANKARA (Hurriyet)–Turkish President Abdullah Gul will pay a four-day visit to Russia’starting Thursday where he will meet with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in a bid to boost political and economic ties, his office said in a statement on Wednesday.
Gul will travel to Russia at the invitation of Russian President Dimitry Medvedev. During his visit the Turkish president will seek opportunities to deepen relations between the two countries and exchange views on regional and international issues.
Gul and Medvedev are expected to sign a joint declaration stressing the two countries desire "to take relations to a higher level and further deepen their friendship and multi-dimensional partnership," the statement said.
NATO member Turkey and Russia have significantly improved ties since the collapse of the Communist bloc. Russia is today Turkey’s top economic partner, with trade volume reaching $37.8 billion in 2008. Moscow also supplies Ankara with 63 percent of its gas and 29 percent of its oil.
