President Putin buys Russian ice cream for Turkish leader
Putin paid for three ice creams for himself and President Erdogan while attending the MAKS 2019 international air show on the outskirts of Moscow.
 |
| The two leaders enjoyed Russian ice cream. |
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Erdogan along with officials of the two countries attended the Moscow International Aviation and Space Salon (MAKS 2019) on August 27.at Zhukovsky International Airport, Moscow suburbs.
After examining Russia's array of aviation weapons, the two leaders went to an ice cream stand at the airport. The Russian president picked out one for his Turkish counterpart and then two more.
The saleswoman informed the two presidents that their ice cream cost 210 rubles ($3.20). “Will you pay me too?” Erdogan asked. “Yes, of course I will, you are my guest,” Putin replied.
Putin gave the vendor 5,000 rubles and left Industry and Trade Minister Denis Manturov, who was standing nearby, waiting for his change. Officials laughed when the Russian leader joked that the ice cream purchase was to "support the development of aviation".
This is not the first time the Russian leader has bought ice cream at MAKS. In 2017, he also bought an ice cream but did not take the change back and spent all the money on ice cream for the accompanying officials.
In June, Putin gave Chinese President Xi Jinping a box of Russian ice cream as a birthday present. The Chinese leader told the media in 2016 that he loves Russian ice cream and often eats it when he visits the country.
President Erdogan's visit to MAKS 2019 comes as Türkiye is looking for a new fighter jet supplier to bolster its air force, following the US decision to remove Türkiye from the F-35 fifth-generation fighter jet program in protest at the S-400 missile deal with Russia. President Erdogan later announced that Ankara could consider buying Russia's Su-57 stealth fighter.
