Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan jets into Russia Tuesday for his first meeting with counterpart Vladimir Putin since the two strongmen leaders began healing a bitter feud over Ankara's downing of a Russian warplane.

Erdogan's visit to Putin's hometown of Saint Petersburg is also his first foreign trip since the failed coup against him last month that sparked a purge of opponents and cast a shadow over Turkey's relations with the West.

"This visit seems to me a new milestone in bilateral relations, beginning with a clean slate, and I personally, with all my heart and on behalf of the Turkish nation salute Mr Putin and all Russians," Erdogan said in an interview with Russian state media.

The shooting down of a Russian fighter jet by a Turkish F-16 over the Syrian border last November saw a furious Putin slap economic sanctions on Turkey and launch a blistering war of words with Erdogan that seemed to irrevocably damage burgeoning ties.

But in a shock reversal in late June, Putin accepted a personal expression of regret over the incident from Erdogan as an apology and immediately rolled back a ban on the sale of package holidays to Turkey and signalled Moscow would end measures against food imports and construction firms from the country.

Now in the wake of the failed July 15 coup attempt in NATO-member Turkey, ties between the two sides could be bolstered even further -- with Erdogan bluntly making it clear he feels let down by the United States and the European Union.

Putin was one of the first foreign leaders to phone Erdogan offering support and, unsurprisingly, sharing none of the scruples of EU leaders about the ensuing crackdown.

"While Turkish-Russian ties are subject to their own uncertainties, this deterioration of relations with Western powers could accelerate a Turkish-Russian rapprochement," said analysts from the European Council on Foreign Relations.

- Back to business -

Relations between Turkey and Russia -- two powers vying for influence in the strategic Black Sea region and Middle East -- have never been straightforward and their predecessor Ottoman and Russian empires fought three centuries of war.

Yet before the plane crisis, Moscow and Ankara managed to prevent disputes on Syria and Ukraine harming strategic cooperation on issues like the TurkStream gas pipeline to Europe and a Russian-built nuclear power station in Turkey.

Those projects were all put on ice with trade between the two countries falling 43 percent to $6.1 billion in January-May this year and Turkey's tourism industry seeing numbers from Russia fall by 93 percent.

Now with Russia mired in economic crisis due to Western sanctions over Ukraine and lower oil prices and Turkey's outlook flagging, both men want to get business started again.

Erdogan told Russian media that he wants to "immediately take steps" towards getting the TurkStream project -- that was to have pumped 31.5 billion cubic metres of gas a year -- going again and to finish the Akkuyu power plant.

- Friends for real? -

The earlier uptick in relations was built on a macho friendship between Putin and Erdogan, two combative leaders in their early 60s credited with restoring confidence to their nations in the wake of financial crises but also criticised for clamping down on human rights.

But after such a bitter dispute -- which saw Putin accuse Erdogan of stabbing Russia in the back and having links to the illegal oil trade with the Islamic State group -- it will take a lot for the pair to reheat ties.

"What we are going to see is a longer-lasting but more pragmatic type of relationship built not on a personal friendship or ideology but on common material interests," said Alexander Baunov, a senior associate at the Carnegie Moscow Center.

Russia, which is flying a bombing campaign in support of Erdogan's foe President Bashar al-Assad in Syria, transformed the balance of the Syrian civil war last September when it intervened militarily, to Turkey's consternation.

Erdogan insisted to Russian media that Assad must still go -- a position opposed by Putin -- but did say that the conflict at the heart of the falling out with Moscow could now also become the focus for renewed cooperation between the two sides.

"Russian is a main, key and very important player in establishing peace in Syria," Erdogan said in comments translated into Russian. "The problem needs to be solved with help of joint steps between Russia and Turkey."

Events in Turkey since attempted coup
Ankara (AFP) Aug 8, 2016 - Turkey held huge rallies Sunday in a show of unity with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after last month's failed coup which he says was plotted by US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen.

Erdogan has launched a sweeping crackdown on alleged coup plotters, with more than 60,000 people from the military, judiciary, civil service and education dismissed, detained or under investigation for suspected links to the Gulen movement.

Gulen has denied the charges and the mass purge has strained Turkey's relations with its Western allies.

Here is a recap of the key events as they unfolded.

- Bloody putsch attempt -

FRIDAY, JULY 15: Around 11:00 pm, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim denounces an attempt to overthrow the government after mutinous soldiers block Istanbul bridges over the Bosphorus.

Just before midnight, a group calling itself the "Council for Peace in the Homeland" declares martial law and a curfew as its troops deploy in Istanbul and Ankara.

Erdogan calls on the nation from a seaside resort in Marmaris to oppose the coup, speaking via a FaceTime cellphone link broadcast by CNN-Turk television.

Tens of thousands of citizens respond to Erdogan's call and huge crowds confront the putschists. Bloody clashes break out between the two sides.

- Erdogan accuses Gulen -

SATURDAY, JULY 16: Erdogan flies to Istanbul where a large crowd awaits, and declares the coup plotters guilty of "treason" and accuses them of ties to US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen.

In Pennsylvania, Gulen condemns the coup and rejects charges he orchestrated it.

Interim army chief of staff General Umit Dundar says the putsch has been defeated. Jubilant crowds pour onto the streets of Istanbul to show support for Erdogan, who demands that the US expel Gulen.

- Return of death penalty? -

SUNDAY, JULY 17: Erdogan vows to crack down on Gulen backers and "to clean the virus from all state bodies", while urging supporters to remain in the streets.

He suggests Turkey might reinstate the death penalty, which was officially abolished in 2004.

- Western warnings -

MONDAY, JULY 18: The European Union, NATO, and the United States warn Turkey to respect the rule of law after the start of a massive crackdown on suspected plotters.

European leaders warn that reinstating capital punishment would end Turkey's hopes of joining the EU.

- Purge spreads -

TUESDAY, JULY 19: A purge that began with rebel army units and officers quickly spreads to all sectors suspected of being infiltrated by Gulen supporters, including the justice and education ministries and religious organisations.

Licences are scrapped for television and radio stations linked to Gulen.

A spokesman for US President Barack Obama says he is "willing to provide appropriate assistance to Turkish authorities investigating the attempted coup".

Secretary of State John Kerry adds Turkey must send "evidence, not allegations" in its demand for Gulen's extradition.

- State of emergency -

JULY 20: Erdogan returns to Ankara for the first time since the attempted coup, and shortly before midnight declares a three-month state of emergency.

JULY 23: Erdogan's cabinet decrees that police can now hold suspects for one month without charge. Turkey disbands the elite presidential guard after detaining almost 300 of its members.

JULY 24: Thousands of Turks, including Erdogan's ruling Islamic-conservatives and the opposition secular camps, gather in Istanbul for the first cross-party rally to condemn the coup attempt.

- Tightens grip on army -

JULY 28: Turkey reshuffles key military commanders, sacking almost half of its generals.

JULY 29: Authorities detain three top tycoons as part of investigations into Gulen's activities.

JULY 30: Erdogan says he wants to introduce constitutional changes to bring the spy agency and military chief of staff directly under his control.

- Show of support -

JULY 31: Tens of thousands of Erdogan supporters rally in the German city of Cologne.

AUGUST 2: Erdogan accuses Western countries of supporting "terror" and the coup plotters, saying the failed putsch was a "scenario written from outside".

AUGUST 4: An Istanbul court issues an arrest warrant for Gulen.

AUGUST 7: Mass rallies mark the end of the daily protests held in a show of unity against the coup plotters.