Putin, Erdogan Meet in Bishkek, Discuss Akkuyu Nuclear Plant Launch
Putin and Erdogan met in Bishkek, discussing the Akkuyu nuclear plant's first unit launch and bilateral economic ties.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held bilateral talks on Tuesday in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit. The meeting focused on economic cooperation and the flagship Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant project in Turkey.
Putin thanked Erdogan for his attention to bilateral economic ties, noting that major joint projects were progressing. He specifically highlighted the Akkuyu plant, confirming that Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom was on schedule to launch the facility's first unit this year, as previously tasked by Erdogan.
Erdogan expressed eagerness to complete construction and jointly commission the first unit. He added that once operational, the two leaders could discuss future power units and additional nuclear plants.
The Akkuyu plant, with its four reactors, is expected to supply roughly 10% of Turkey's electricity demand once fully online. However, the project has faced multiple delays, compounded by international sanctions on Russian entities following Moscow's conflict with Ukraine.