Turkey is one of Russia’s privileged partners in both foreign policy and economic spheres. Russian President Vladimir Putin stated this during a meeting with Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, RIA Novosti reports.

According to Putin, Moscow and Ankara continue to implement major joint projects, the key of which remains the construction of Turkey’s Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant.

Also, the Russian leader expressed confidence that Russian state corporation Rosatom will be able to launch the first power unit of this nuclear plant this year. Erdogan, in turn, emphasized the rapid development of Russian-Turkish relations and attached particular importance to the Akkuyu project.

“I attach great importance to the meeting with Mr. President. Turkish-Russian relations have really developed greatly,” the Turkish leader said. As per Erdogan, the construction of the first power unit of the Akkuyu nuclear plant has entered its final phase.

Ankara expects its commissioning and further operation, after which the two parties plan to discuss further joint actions in the energy sector.