Turkey may be seriously at odds with Russia over Syria and silently fuming because of Moscow’s decision to increase its military assistance to the Syrian regime, but Ankara is treading cautiously to avoid tensions that would endanger its vast economic and energy interests with its northern neighbor.

This became apparent once again during President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s one-day visit to Moscow on Sept. 23 for the inauguration of the reconstructed central mosque, officially named the Moscow Cathedral Mosque, ahead of the Muslim Eid al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice) holiday.

After the visit, Erdogan hinted at a change in Ankara’s Syria policy that is a little more in line with Moscow’s position, which the United States has also shown signs of inching toward in recent days.

Despite major disagreements between the two countries on regional issues, Erdogan did not hold back from lavishing praise on Russia during his speech at the ceremony for the mosque, which was also attended by Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas and Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev.