Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan was received by Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday in the city of Kazan, the capital of Russia’s Tatarstan region, Turkish diplomatic sources confirmed.

The high-level meeting took place amid ongoing regional security discussions, though neither side released immediate details regarding the agenda or outcomes of the talks.

According to Turkish sources, the encounter occurred on Wednesday, but officials provided no further information on the specific topics discussed. This marks another direct engagement between Türkiye’s top diplomat and the Russian leader.

Fidan, who has served as Foreign Minister since June 2023, previously headed Türkiye’s National Intelligence Organization (MIT), where he developed broad contacts within Russian security and intelligence circles.

Ankara and Moscow maintain complex but multifaceted relations, balancing cooperation in key areas despite Türkiye’s membership in NATO. The two countries continue to collaborate on energy projects and regional security issues, most notably in Syria.

Russia is currently constructing the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant in southern Türkiye and remains a major supplier of natural gas to Türkiye via the TurkStream pipeline. The two nations previously worked together on the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which aimed to facilitate Ukrainian agricultural exports before its eventual collapse.

Wednesday’s meeting in Kazan follows a series of earlier discussions between Fidan and senior Russian officials on the war in Ukraine and recent developments in the Middle East. Türkiye has positioned itself as a mediator in several regional conflicts while keeping open diplomatic channels with Moscow.

No official readout of the discussions was issued by the Turkish or Russian sides following the Kazan meeting.

The encounter underscores the pragmatic diplomatic engagement between Ankara and Moscow even as they navigate differing positions on various international issues. (ILKHA)