Türkiye, Russia deepen ties in high-level talks amid geopolitical tensions PHOTO

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has welcomed Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Ankara for crucial talks.

The meeting will cover several important topics, including the ongoing war in Ukraine, regional matters, and the strengthening of bilateral relations between Türkiye and Russia, Caliber.Az reports via Turkish media.

NATO member Türkiye, which facilitated the initial negotiations between Russia and Ukraine following the war's onset in 2022, is prepared to take on a similar role in the near future.

Lavrov’s visit coincides with the three-year anniversary of Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine. According to sources, Lavrov and his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, are also set to address critical issues such as the Gaza ceasefire and the situation in Syria. 

Türkiye is expected to stress the importance of Syria’s territorial integrity and the expulsion of terrorist groups from the region. Meanwhile, US and Russian negotiators have recently met in Riyadh to discuss potential avenues for ending the conflict in Ukraine, though Ukraine was not part of the talks. 

On the same day, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara. The Turkish source noted that the discussions on February 24 would focus on steps towards achieving a just and lasting peace, recent US-Russia contacts, and Türkiye’s potential contributions to these efforts. Throughout the conflict, Türkiye has managed to maintain positive relations with both Ukraine and Russia, its Black Sea neighbours.

By Naila Huseynova