Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is to visit Britain in May, a top official said today, as Ankara sticks to its position of refusing to blame Russia for an attack on an ex-spy.
Relations between London and Ankara have over the last years been relatively robust, without the tensions that have plagued relations between Turkey and other European powers such as Germany.
But while EU nations have rushed to join Britain in condemning Russia and expelling diplomats over the attack in England on ex-spy Sergei Skripal, Turkey has been much more circumspect.
Erdogan "will be paying a visit to the UK in May," presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin told foreign reporters in Istanbul, without giving a date.
"We look forward to this visit."
Kalin denied that Britain should be disappointed with Turkeys reaction to the attack on Skripal, saying "we would like to see the perpetrators of this attack brought to justice."