---
title: "Putin and Erdogan Hold Closed-Door Talks at SCO Summit: Black Sea and Peace Negotiations in Turkey Top the Agenda"
description: "On September 1, on the sidelines of the SCO summit in Bishkek, Putin and Erdogan held closed-door talks lasting around 90 minutes. The main topics were the situation in the Black Sea and the possible holding of peace negotiations in Turkey."
date: 2026-09-02T09:10:01.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/putin-erdogan-closed-door-talks-sco-black-sea
tags: [putin-erdogan, scop-summit, black-sea, turkey-russia, ukraine-war]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Putin and Erdogan Hold Closed-Door Talks at SCO Summit: Black Sea and Peace Negotiations in Turkey Top the Agenda

![Putin and Erdogan shake hands at closed SCO summit talks against the flags of Russia and Turkey](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/02/putin-i-erdogan-zakrytye-peregovory-shos-chernoe-more/putin-i-erdogan-zakrytye-peregovory-shos-chernoe-more-1.webp)

## 🎯 Key Points

- The closed-door talks between Putin and Erdogan on the sidelines of the SCO summit lasted around 90 minutes.
- According to Yuri Ushakov, the main topic was the situation in the Black Sea.
- Dmitry Peskov reported that the possibility of peace negotiations in Turkey was discussed.
- Putin called Turkey a "privileged partner," while Erdogan described the relations as being "at a more advanced level."

On September 1, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan), Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held closed-door bilateral talks that, according to media reports, lasted around 90 minutes. The meeting took place behind closed doors, which in itself points to the sensitivity of the issues discussed, among which, as the Kremlin confirmed, was the situation around Russia's war against Ukraine and security in the Black Sea.

### Format and delegation composition

In addition to the leaders themselves, the closed session was attended by key figures in Turkish diplomacy and intelligence: Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and the head of the National Intelligence Service (MIT), Ibrahim Kalin. The presence of precisely these two individuals in the negotiating group is traditionally viewed by observers as a signal that the discussion covered not only political and diplomatic matters but also intelligence and operational aspects of the bilateral relationship, including monitoring the situation in the Black Sea.### The Black Sea — a priority on the Kremlin's agenda

Commenting on the outcome of the meeting, Russian Presidential Advisor Yuri Ushakov stated that the main focus of the talks was the situation in the Black Sea. According to him, this issue was the central topic of discussion between the two leaders. Thus, the Kremlin publicly confirmed that the safety of shipping, military activity, and control over the Black Sea region remain among the central items of the Russian-Turkish dialogue.

### Turkey as a potential venue for peace negotiations

Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov added that Putin and Erdogan also discussed the possibility of holding talks in Turkey on settling the war against Ukraine. Peskov emphasized that Ankara had repeatedly put forward a similar proposal at various levels, and the Russian side is considering this initiative in the context of ongoing contacts. This confirms Turkey's role as one of the few states that both Moscow and Ankara simultaneously position as a potential mediator.

### A "privileged partner" and the economic course

During the meeting, Vladimir Putin called Turkey one of Russia's "privileged partners" in foreign policy and the economic sphere, noting that bilateral economic ties remain at a high level, partly thanks to Erdogan's personal attention to developing the relationship. The Turkish President, in turn, stated that the relations between Ankara and Moscow "are truly at a more advanced level than in any previous period." Such rhetoric from both sides points to a desire to consolidate political rapprochement with economic agreements.

### Contradictory data

Fact-checking revealed discrepancies in the sources regarding the location and chronological context of the SCO summit. The original text and a "Moskovsky Komsomolets" piece dated September 1, 2026, point to Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan) as the venue of the meeting. At the same time, an RFI publication dated August 31, 2025, reports that the SCO summit "began in China" with Putin's participation. The difference in year and host country may be explained either by confusion in editorial materials or by the fact that the articles refer to different sessions of the organisation. In addition, a separate RFI piece from 2023 describes a meeting between Putin and Erdogan in Sochi, which is a distinct past event and not identical to the September talks in Bishkek. Until further confirmation is obtained, the exact location and date of the summit on whose sidelines the meeting took place require additional verification.

Overall, despite the closed nature of the talks, the public statements by Ushakov and Peskov allow one to conclude that the Black Sea agenda and the question of peace negotiations on Turkish territory remain the main directions of the Russian-Turkish dialogue, and that, by the leaders' own assessment, the relations between the two countries are going through a period of maximum rapprochement.

## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification

- [Putin and Erdogan discuss Ukraine during closed-door talks](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/putin-i-erdogan-obgovorili-ukrayinu-pid-chas-1788340105.html) - Подтверждает факт закрытых переговоров и обсуждение Украины; соответствует исходному тексту.
- [SCO summit with Vladimir Putin's participation begins in China](https://www.rfi.fr/ru/%D0%B2-%D0%BC%D0%B8%D1%80%D0%B5/20250831-%D0%B2-%D0%BA%D0%B8%D1%82%D0%B0%D0%B5-%D0%BD%D0%B0%D1%87%D0%B0%D0%BB%D1%81%D1%8F-%D1%81%D0%B0%D0%BC%D0%BC%D0%B8%D1%82-%D1%88%D0%BE%D1%81-%D1%81-%D1%83%D1%87%D0%B0%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B8%D0%B5%D0%BC-%D0%B2%D0%BB%D0%B0%D0%B4%D0%B8%D0%BC%D0%B8%D1%80%D0%B0-%D0%BF%D1%83%D1%82%D0%B8%D0%BD%D0%B0) - Указывает на Китай и дату 31.08.2025 — расхождение с Бишкеком-2026 из базы и МК; отражено в блоке противоречий.
- [Putin "was again fooled by Western partners." The main outcome of the meeting with Erdogan in Sochi](https://www.rfi.fr/ru/%D1%80%D0%BE%D1%81%D1%81%D0%B8%D1%8F/20230904-%D1%8D%D1%80%D0%B4%D0%BE%D0%B3%D0%B0%D0%BD-%D0%B2-%D1%81%D0%BE%D1%87%D0%B8-%D0%BF%D0%BE%D0%BE%D0%B1%D0%B5%D1%89%D0%B0%D0%BB-%D0%B2%D0%B0%D0%B6%D0%BD%D0%BE%D0%B5-%D0%BF%D0%BE%D1%81%D0%BB%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%B5-%D0%BC%D0%B8%D1%80%D1%83-%D0%BF%D0%BE-%D0%B8%D1%82%D0%BE%D0%B3%D0%B0%D0%BC-%D0%B2%D1%81%D1%82%D1%80%D0%B5%D1%87%D0%B8-%D1%81-%D0%BF%D1%83%D1%82%D0%B8%D0%BD%D1%8B%D0%BC) - Указывает на Китай и дату 31.08.2025 — расхождение с Бишкеком-2026 из базы и МК; отражено в блоке противоречий.
- ["SCO blitz": Putin holds a marathon of meetings with leaders in Bishkek](https://www.mk.ru/politics/2026/09/01/shosskiy-blic-putin-provel-marafon-vstrech-s-liderami-v-bishkeke.html) - Датирован 01.09.2026, подтверждает площадку Бишкек и марафон встреч, включая встречу с Эрдоганом.

## ❓ FAQ

### Q: Where and for how long did the meeting between Putin and Erdogan take place?
**A:** According to media reports, on September 1, on the sidelines of the SCO summit in Bishkek, the leaders held closed-door talks lasting around 90 minutes. The venue (Bishkek-2026) is confirmed by the original text and by MK, although one source (RFI) mentions China-2025.

### Q: What was the main topic of the talks?
**A:** Presidential Advisor Yuri Ushakov stated that the main focus was the situation in the Black Sea. Dmitry Peskov added that the possibility of holding peace negotiations in Turkey to settle the war was discussed.

### Q: Who else was present at the meeting?
**A:** In addition to Putin and Erdogan, the closed session was attended by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and the head of the National Intelligence Service, Ibrahim Kalin.