Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will embark on a two-day official visit to Russia on May 26–27 at the invitation of his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, the Turkish Foreign Ministry announced Saturday.

The visit marks a significant diplomatic engagement as Ankara and Moscow seek to deepen cooperation on bilateral, regional, and global issues.

During his visit, Fidan is scheduled to be received by Russian President Vladimir Putin and will hold a comprehensive meeting with Lavrov. He will also engage in high-level discussions with other senior Russian officials, including presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky—who recently led the Russian delegation at the Russia–Ukraine negotiations in Istanbul—and newly appointed Defense Minister Andrey Belousov.

Talks are expected to focus on strengthening Türkiye-Russia relations across key sectors, including trade, energy, and tourism. The two countries will assess current cooperation and explore potential new avenues to enhance strategic ties.

Fidan will also address ongoing efforts to bring an end to the Russia–Ukraine war, reaffirming Türkiye’s commitment to a just and lasting peace. Turkish diplomatic sources say he will express Ankara’s satisfaction with recent developments that signal progress toward de-escalation and will reiterate Türkiye’s willingness to act as a mediator, building on its past facilitation roles—including hosting peace talks in Istanbul in 2022 and again on May 16 this year.

In addition to the war in Ukraine, regional issues such as the situation in Gaza, developments in Syria, and the South Caucasus will be on the agenda. Both sides are expected to exchange views on how to promote stability and cooperation across these volatile regions.

The visit underscores the frequency and depth of recent high-level diplomatic contacts between Ankara and Moscow. Fidan previously traveled to Russia for the BRICS+ meeting on June 10–11, 2024, and accompanied President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to the BRICS Summit in October 2023.

His most recent meeting with Lavrov took place on April 12 at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Türkiye, following earlier bilateral engagements on February 20 and 23 during international gatherings in South Africa and Türkiye, respectively.

Lavrov also visited Istanbul on October 18, 2023, to participate in the 3rd Meeting of the 3+3 South Caucasus Regional Cooperation Platform, hosted by Türkiye.

Fidan’s upcoming visit is expected to reinforce Ankara’s balanced diplomacy between East and West and highlight its strategic role in regional peace and multilateral diplomacy. (ILKHA)