In a phone call on Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin “warmly” congratulated Recep Tayyip Erdogan on his re-election as Turkey’s leader, saying his victory opened up “prospects” for strengthening their ties, AFP reported.

“The support that the Turkish people express to their leader opens up additional prospects for the development of practical bilateral cooperation in various fields,” Putin said during the conversation, the Kremlin said in a statement.

The head of the Russian state “emphasized his great contribution to the development of Russian-Turkish relations in a constructive and mutually beneficial direction,” the Kremlin added.

According to Moscow, Erdogan “confirmed his readiness to continue cooperation on all urgent issues” on the agenda.

Vladimir Putin has already congratulated Recep Tayyip Erdogan on his re-election on Sunday, saying his victory was a “logical result” that was “clear proof” of public support for his policies.

Russian presidential spokesman Dmytro Peskov stressed on Monday morning that Russia has “very ambitious” goals with Turkey.

Despite the historical rivalry between the two countries, Erdogan and Putin have forged a strong personal relationship that has become even more important for Russia, isolated from the West by the conflict in Ukraine.

Russians and Turks are already linked by a number of joint projects, including the Turkish Stream gas pipeline, which transports Russian gas across the Black Sea.

They cooperate closely on a number of issues, including Syria, where they support opposing sides.

While Turkey has supplied drones to Kiev, it has refused to join sanctions against Moscow, preferring to play the role of mediator, as was the case with the deal to allow Ukrainian grain exports.