Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has said Russian participation in the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) would be a natural step, given the presence of Turkic peoples in the country.

Axar.az reports, citing Russian media, that Peskov made the remarks, noting that several Russian regions are home to peoples of Turkic origin.

“Russia has a number of regions whose populations are also historically Turkic. Therefore, such participation would be entirely understandable, appropriate and natural,” he said.

It should be recalled that Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev proposed granting Russia observer status in the OTS at the organization’s 13th summit in Ankara on October 30.