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Ammon News - Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov has said Moscow plans to further military cooperation with Turkey. He was speaking at a press conference in Sochi with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu who announced plans for $100B in mutual trade.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said Moscow and Ankara's military cooperation would not be deterred by the United States imposing sanctions on Turkey earlier this month for acquiring a Russian missile defence system.

"We have confirmed our mutual intention to develop military ties with Turkey" despite "Washington's illegitimate pressure", Lavrov told reporters following talks with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu in Sochi.

Cavusoglu told the joint news conference that Turkey's relations with Russia are not an alternative to its ties with NATO and the European Union.

His comments came after fellow NATO member Washington sanctioned Turkey over its purchase of Russian S-400 missile defences, and the EU prepared punitive steps over Turkey's dispute with members Greece and Greek-administered Cyprus over Mediterranean offshore rights.

Turkey also aims to produce Russia's Covid-19 vaccine Sputnik V domestically, Cavusoglu said.

Turkey requested more information from Russia about the vaccine and Health Minister Fahrettin Koca informed the presidential cabinet on Monday that everything was on the right track, Cavusoglu added.

*TRT