https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEyurZFirtU << this is the live stream of the conference
http://www.cnn.com/2016/08/09/world/russia-putin-turkey-erdogan-meeting/
http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/turkey-military-coup/turkey-s-erdogan-meets-russia-s-putin-new-page-restored-n626101
back in november, the turkish military shot down a russian warplane. its pilot ejected in time and was shot again while parachuting down. the turks then shot a russian sent to retrieve the body.
the event soured relations between the two countries, with putin placing strict trade restrictions against turkey and cutting travel visas (russians make up ~87% of turkey's tourist population). this worsened both nations' economies but was maintained to teach erdogan a lesson.
following the coup and erdogan's denunciation of the west, however, russia has forgiven turkey. erdogan is currently in st petersburg delivering a joint press meeting with putin, in which putin has promised to lift trade and travel restrictions and also construct a natural gas pipeline through turkey.
the most important development to take away from this conference is that a russo-turkish alliance appears likely. turkey was drawn into nato to prevent the soviet union from terrorizing the mediterranean. with the capture of sevastopol and crimea in 2014, russia gained access to the black sea. and with an alliance with turkey, it would have access to the mediterranean.
fun fact: russia is the only great power not restricted on the number of warships allowed in the black sea
