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(Vatican Radio)  Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed condolences to his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan after Saturday's attack on a Kurdish wedding party killed at least 54 people, many of them children, while injuring some 70 others.

Putin's message came amid attempts by Moscow to improve ties with Ankara as Turkey is seen as both a strategic nation for Russia and the NATO-military alliance. Yet, it has done little to ease remaining tensions over the conflict in Ukraine.

Listen to Stefan Bos' report:

In a telegram Russian President Vladimir Putin said Saturday's attack in Turkey's southeastern city of Gaziantep was in his words shocking in its "cruelty and cynicism". It was reportedly carried out by a suicide bomber aged between 12 and 14. Putin said the attack once again showed that "terrorism doesn't recognize not only the laws of civilized society but also the very basic norms of human morality."

The Kremlin said Putin also conveyed Russia's readiness to increase counter-terrorism cooperation with Turkey, including following through on agreements the two presidents reached during their recent talks in Russia.

Putin and Turkish President  Erdogan met two weeks ago for the first time since they decided to mend relations soured by Turkey's downing of a Russian military aircraft along the Syrian border in November.

Yet differences remain over at least some issues, including Russia's annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula.

'CRIMEA IS UKRAINIAN'

Over the weekend, Turkish President Erdogan reportedly reassured his Ukrainian counterpart Petro Poroshenko that Ankara will continue to recognize the Crimean Peninsula as Ukrainian territory.

The Ukrainian presidential press service said Erdogan told Poroshenko that Turkey has not changed its "unwavering position regarding its support of Ukraine's independence and territorial integrity in the country's internationally recognized borders."

Since Russia's annexation of the peninsula, Erdogan, who backed Ukraine in the conflict, had frequently denounced the reported persecution of the Tatar minority by local authorities.

His latest comments came however at a sensitive time.

Thousands of Russian land and naval forces have been practicing moving hardware and troops into Crimea. The exercises on the peninsula come as a fragile ceasefire in eastern Ukraine is threatened -- by the deadliest month of fighting in a year between Ukrainian troops and Moscow-backed separatists.

UKRAINE'S 'SABOTAGE PLOT' 

Additionally Putin has expressed anger over an alleged sabotage plot by Kiev. "It seems that our partners in Kiev have decided to exacerbate the situation," Putin said while visiting Crimea last week.

"It is clear that they do it because they do not want or they cannot comply with the Minsk peace agreement. I hope this will not be the final choice of our partners
and that common sense will prevail. We're not going to completely end our relationship despite the lack of willingness of the Ukrainian authorities to have full
diplomatic relations at an ambassadorial Level," Putin told the Security Council in Crimea.    

Kiev has denied wrongdoing and Ukrainian President Poroshenko has warned of a Russian invasion.

Despite different views on Ukraine, Moscow and Ankara seek closer ties. Though Turkey claims it wants to remain in the Western NATO-military alliance, it
also seeks closer relations with non-NATO nations such as Russia. It comes amid mounting tensions with the West over the aftermath of a recent failed coup
attempt.

The West has criticized Turkey's government for detaining tens of thousands of people following the coup. 

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