Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will meet Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on Monday in the capital, Ankara, diplomatic sources said on Sunday. Two men will discuss bilateral ties, but the highlight of their discussions will likely be the Russian-Ukrainian conflict that will mark its third year on Monday.
Turkish diplomatic sources said two diplomats would exchange views on finding a fair and lasting solution to the ongoing conflict through diplomatic efforts. Sources told Anadolu Agency (AA) that they would discuss the latest talks between the United States and Russia on the issue and the possible contributions of Türkiye to the process. Fidan is expected to highlight Türkiye’s readiness to assume the role of broker as it did in March 2022 when it hosted direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.
Russian diplomatic spokeswoman Maria Zakharova confirmed to the TASS news agency that "a delegation led by Sergei Lavrov will shortly be visiting Türkiye" to discuss "a wide range of issues."
Türkiye, a member of NATO, wants to play a leading role in ending hostilities.
Receiving his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy last Tuesday, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan asserted that his country would be an "ideal host" for talks on Ukraine involving Moscow, Kyiv and Washington. Moscow and Washington have already begun a direct dialogue in recent weeks against a backdrop of rapprochement between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russia's Vladimir Putin.
Russian and American officials met in Saudi Arabia last Tuesday to begin rebuilding their relations, a meeting denounced by Zelenskyy, who fears an agreement on Ukraine reached without him at the table. Lavrov, who last visited Türkiye in October, is also expected to visit Iran, a Russian ally. Fidan and Lavrov last met in South Africa during G20 foreign ministers’ meeting on Feb. 20.
The United States is seeking a Security Council vote on a draft resolution on Ukraine on Monday before the General Assembly takes it up. The proposal calls for an end to the war but does not name Russia as the aggressor or demand a withdrawal of its forces from Ukraine. It contrasts with a European-backed draft resolution demanding an immediate withdrawal of Moscow's forces from Ukraine. Negotiations over possible amendments to the U.S. draft are still ongoing amid uncertainty over whether a vote in the Security Council will take place. China, which holds the council's rotating presidency, would need to schedule the vote.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has called on nations to support what he described as a "historic" initiative, while European officials and Kyiv remain firm in their push for stronger language condemning Moscow. Diplomats view the U.S. proposal as a shift in Washington's approach to the conflict, potentially easing Russian President Vladimir Putin's isolation and increasing pressure on Ukraine to negotiate. Under Trump's predecessor, Joe Biden, the U.S. had largely isolated Russia at the U.N., with Putin's actions condemned in a number of clear votes.
Speaking as he was leaving Türkiye last week after talks with Erdoğan, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pledged to continue cooperating with Türkiye. We want concrete steps in defense cooperation,” Zelenskyy told reporters in an interview.
Zelenskyy’s meeting with Erdoğan notably coincided with a high-level official Washington-Moscow meeting in Saudi Arabia. This was the first meeting since the war began in February 2022 and reflected the extraordinary about-face in U.S. foreign policy under President Donald Trump. “We want Trump to side more with Ukraine,” Zelenskyy told reporters in Ankara. “'Many Republicans and Democrats support us. I don't want to lose support.”
Russia and the U.S. agreed Tuesday to start working toward ending the war in Ukraine and improving their diplomatic and economic ties, the two countries' top diplomats said after talks in Riyadh.
Speaking at a joint press conference with Zelenskyy last Tuesday, Erdoğan argued Türkiye would be an ideal host for planned peace talks between Russia, the U.S. and Ukraine. Türkiye has always supported peace between Russia and Ukraine and would provide all support to ensure that the negotiation process between the two countries leads to lasting peace, he said. Ankara helped broker the Black Sea grain deal, which helped avert a major global food crisis in the first year of fighting. “Through all our efforts, we have sincerely strived to be a reliable mediator and have achieved concrete results," Erdoğan said after meeting with the Ukrainian leader, adding that Trump’s current initiative to bring an end to the war aligns with the policy Ankara has pursued for the past three years.
Sources said Lavrov and Fidan will also discuss developments in Syria and the Middle East. The two countries enjoy strong relations, but they were on opposing sides during the Syrian civil war, which concluded with the ouster of the Assad regime last December. Moscow supported Assad for years, while Türkiye urged Damascus to compromise with the opposition. The new administration of Syria, which emerged as a major ally for Ankara, hinted at a resumption of ties with Russia, which played a role in crushing the opposition through military support to the Assad regime.
Fidan is expected to highlight Türkiye’s determination on the elimination of terrorist groups in Syria during talks with Lavrov and underline the importance of Syria’s territorial integrity and political unity. U.S.-backed terrorist groups YPG and Daesh are two groups active in Syria. Though the latter lost significant clout thanks to Türkiye’s cross-border operations, YPG, the Syria wing of PKK, which killed thousands in Türkiye since the 1980s, remains active in northeastern Syria. Lavrov and Fidan will also discuss what Türkiye calls Israel’s aggressive approach that threatens Syria’s territorial integrity in reference to the occupation of Golan Heights. Sources said the minister will also emphasize the need for a lasting cease-fire in Gaza and delivery of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian enclave while reiterating opposition to a proposal by the U.S. to relocate Palestinians from Gaza.
