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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke by telephone with Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to an announcement by the Turkish Presidency's Directorate of Communications. During the conversation, the two leaders reviewed relations between Turkey and Russia and exchanged views on a range of regional and international issues.

Erdoğan underlined the importance of the work being carried out to ensure safe navigation in the Black Sea. He also said Turkey remains ready, as always, to contribute to efforts aimed at getting Russia and Ukraine to start direct contacts with each other.

Alongside the policy agenda, Erdoğan offered Putin birthday wishes and congratulated him on his party's success in the elections for the State Duma. The statement from the Communications Directorate did not provide further details about the exchange.

Key Takeaways

• Erdoğan and Putin spoke by phone on bilateral, regional and global issues, the Turkish presidency said.
• Erdoğan stressed the importance of securing safe navigation in the Black Sea.
• Erdoğan voiced Turkey's readiness to support direct Russia-Ukraine contacts and congratulated Putin on his birthday and his party's Duma election result.