"The most appropriate professional platform for discussing visa issues is bilateral consultations between experts on consular matters. And such consultations between consular experts are scheduled for autumn," ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said during a press briefing.

Following talks between Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, the two countries decided to establish a mechanism to draft agreements regarding the mutual simplification of the travel regime for certain categories of citizens, she added.

Following a decline in relations in November 2015, when Turkey shot down a Russian military jet over the Turkey-Syria border after it was not able to make contact with the aircraft, Russia imposed a range of unilateral sanctions on Turkey, including an end to visa-free travel.

After a quick recovery in bilateral relations, the two countries rapidly increased military and economic cooperation.

As Turkey enjoys millions of Russian tourist arrivals, Ankara argues that visa liberalization would significantly boost the number of Turkish tourists in Russia.

Meanwhile, Vice President Fuat Oktay said Thursday that Turkish citizens would soon be able to travel to Moldova with only national ID cards.

Speaking at an event hosted by the Moldovan embassy on the country's Independence Day, Oktay said Ankara and Chisinau have already completed legal consultations for the initiation of passport-free travel between the two countries.

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