Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as a “strong, firm leader” who always defended Türkiye’s interests. Speaking to the Valdai Discussion Club on Thursday, Putin said Erdogan was a “consistent, reliable partner,” adding that the Turkish president does not allow to be manipulated by anyone. Many projects with Türkiye are born from difficult disputes, but we eventually achieve them, Putin said. Ankara has played a vital role as a go-between for Kiev and Moscow since the start of the conflict, brokering the Black Sea grain deal and assisting in a number of prisoner exchangers - the only diplomatic breakthroughs to date in the eight-month conflict. Read more: http://trt.world/vhk9