Russia's Lavrov to pay official visit to Türkiye amid Ukraine talks

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will pay an official visit to Ankara on Monday, according to diplomatic sources.

As part of the visit, Lavrov and his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan will discuss bilateral cooperation issues, including trade, energy, and tourism.

The foreign ministers will also exchange views on ending the war in Ukraine with a just and lasting peace through diplomatic efforts and discuss the recent contacts between the US and Russia, and Türkiye's contribution to this process.

Türkiye's readiness to host future talks between Russia and Ukraine, just as it did in March 2022, will also be underlined.

Regional and global issues, including Syria and other Middle East issues, will also be discussed, the sources said, adding that Fidan will highlight Ankara's resolution in the complete cleansing of Syria of terrorist elements and underscore the importance of preserving Syria's territorial integrity and political unity.

The Turkish minister will reiterate that Israel's aggressive approach threatening Syria's territorial integrity is unacceptable, and will also stress that starting reconstruction work is necessary for Syria's stability.

Fidan will also underline that the ceasefire in Gaza must be made permanent and the humanitarian aid to Gaza should be increased. He will also highlight that the forced displacement of Palestinians from their homeland is unacceptable.

Peace in the Middle East can only be achieved based on a two-state solution, Fidan will also reiterate during the talks.

Lavrov last visited Türkiye on October 18, 2024, as part of the 3 3 Regional Cooperation Platform meeting.

Fidan and Lavrov last met on February 20 in Johannesburg on the sidelines of the G20 foreign ministers meeting.