Putin Is Visiting Turkey to Discuss Jerusalem With Erdogan

Russian President Vladimir Putin is visiting Turkey on Monday to discuss with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan the sprawling Jerusalem crisis and Syria peace talks.

The Russian president’s visit is a testimony to the level of cordiality that defines the contemporary relations between the two leaders who push for regional initiatives to resolve the regional crises.

Mr. Putin is meeting with President Erdogan in Ankara. U.S. President Donald J. Trump‘s defiant move to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel provided a windfall to the two strongmen to assert themselves in a protracted conflict that eluded a solution for generations of statesmen and diplomats.

The Turkish leader called Israel a “terrorist state,” pouring ice on recently mended ties with Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was quick to hit back. He, during a visit to France at the weekend, argued that he would not receive a course from someone “who bombed Kurdish villagers and helped terrorists.”

The exchange of terrorist remarks further descended into mutual recriminations, with Presidential Spokesman Ibrahim Kalin and Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu castigating the Israeli prime minister.