Erdoğan, Putin discuss regional security, trade

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on an official visit.

The two leaders discussed issues including the conflicts in Syria and Iraq, economic and energy ties, and efforts to combat terrorism.

Putin said Turkey and Russia's trade relations are on the right track again.

After the meeting with Putin, Erdoğan is to lead a group of Turkish ministers to attend the sixth High-Level Cooperation Council between Russia and Turkey.

The delegation includes Chief of General Staff Hulusi Akar, Natıonal Intelligence Organization (MİT) Undersecretary Hakan Fidan, Food, Agriculture and Livestock Minister Faruk Çelik, Culture and Tourism Minister Nabi Avcı, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Berat Albayrak, Foreign Minister Mevlüt Cavuşoğlu, Justice Minister Bekir Bozdağ, Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekçi, Defense Minister Fikri Işık and Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communication Minister Ahmet Arslan.

The two sides are to touch on cooperation arrangements on economic, cultural and tourism, which are due to be revealed in a news conference.

The last meeting between Erdoğan and Putin was held in August after Turkey and Russia patched up the fallout Turkey's November 2015 downing of a Russian jet over the Turkish-Syrian border.

Since the summer, Russia has relaxed the sanctions imposed on Turkey in response to the jet incident and the countries have worked together to bring a cease-fire and political solution to Syria.

Relations were tested in December when the Russian ambassador to Ankara, Andrey Karlov, was killed in the capital. However, Putin called the shooting a provocation designed to undermine Turkish-Russian relations.