Turkey's president reportedly apologizes to Russia for shooting down one of its jets last November

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has apologized to President Vladimir Putin for the shooting down of a Russian Sukhoi Su-24 fighter jet by the Turkish Air Force last November., according to the Kremlin. (Ankara has yet to confirm this information.)

For months, the Kremlin has insisted that an apology from Ankara is a necessary precondition for the restoration of relations between the two countries. In the past, Erdoğan has refused to apologize for the attack, which Turkish officials insist was justified by Russian aircraft violating Turkish airspace.

The incident occurred on November 24 near the Syrian-Turkish border. Two fighters from the Turkish Air Force shot down the Su-24 aircraft, which Turkey says crossed into Turkish territory. The pilot did not survive the incident, while his navigator parachuted safetly to the ground, where he was later rescued. (A Russian marine was killed in the rescue effort, however.)

Relations between Moscow and Ankara sharply deteriorated after the incident. Russia has imposed an array of sanctions against Turkey (for example, its tour operators were banned from organizing vacations in this country).

“I want once again to express my sympathy and deepest condolences to the family of the killed Russian pilot, and say I am sorry. With all my heart, I share their pain. The family of this Russian pilot is for us like a Turkish family. In the name of bringing an end to this pain and all the damage it's caused, we're ready [to discuss] any initiative,” Erdoğan said in a statement addressed to Putin.

President of Russia

• As recently as May 2016, President Putin complained that Turkey had yet to apologize for shooting down the jet in November 2015.