Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting with members of the Security Council at the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence outside Moscow, Russia, December 18, 2015. REUTERS/Michael Klimentyev/Sputnik/Kremlin

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia has no intention of damaging relations with the people of Turkey, President Vladimir Putin was quoted as saying on Saturday, while making clear that Moscow’s ties with Ankara will not improve under the current Turkish leadership.

“I want to repeat it now: we consider the Turkish people a friendly nation, and we do not want to disrupt relations namely with the Turkish people,” Russian news agencies quoted Putin as saying in a new documentary to be released on Sunday.

As for the current Turkish leadership, “nothing is eternal”, Putin said.

The president also said that Russia remained open and ready to develop economic and political cooperation with Europe, as well as to jointly fight terror, despite the sanctions imposed by the European Union on Russia.