Russia's Lavrov plans to visit Turkey amid Ukraine talks
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov plans to visit Turkey next week as part of his regional tour, sources familiar with the matter told Middle East Eye.
Lavrov is expected to be in Ankara on 24-25 February, according to one of the sources.
Earlier this week, Lavrov informed the Duma, the lower house of Russia's parliament, that there would be high-level talks with the Syrian government next week, which could indicate a visit by the Russian foreign minister to Syria as well.
The timing of Lavrov’s visit to Turkey coincides with the recent launch of talks between the US and Russia on the Ukraine war. Lavrov's agenda isn't immediately clear, as he was also scheduled to meet his Turkish counterpart on Thursday in Johannesburg on the sidelines of the G20 foreign ministers meeting.
In a major policy shift, the Trump administration has sidelined Ukraine and the EU from negotiations, saying that Ukraine’s Nato membership bid is unrealistic and that no US troops should be deployed in the Eastern European country as part of future security guarantees.
New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch
Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters
On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump told journalists that Russia had fought for certain territories in Ukraine and suggested that Moscow might retain some of them. He later referred to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as a “dictator without elections”.
Turkey, on the other hand, reaffirmed its full support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence during Zelensky’s visit to Ankara on Tuesday. Zelensky said that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan continues to support Kyiv’s Nato bid.
A source familiar with the discussions clarified that Ankara was not attempting to make a political statement by hosting Zelensky amid the current tensions between Washington and Kyiv. The visit had been planned well in advance of recent developments.
Zelensky was originally scheduled to travel to Riyadh from Turkey as part of a regional tour, with Ankara serving as a convenient stopover and an important ally to consult with.
However, he cancelled his trip to Saudi Arabia after being caught off guard by high-level talks between American and Russian officials, which excluded Ukraine.
Since 2022, Turkey has played a key role as a facilitator in negotiations between Ukraine and Russia.
However, this role has become less significant now that Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are engaging in direct diplomatic discussions. This week, Moscow announced that Russia and the US would restore diplomatic relations.
A second source noted that it is somewhat ironic that Ukraine now seeks inclusion in talks with Russia, as Turkey repeatedly advocated for all sides to come to the negotiating table to discuss a ceasefire and potential peace deal.
Turkish officials have long warned that the war would be prolonged and that Russia would not be easily defeated.
Middle East Eye delivers independent and unrivalled coverage and analysis of the Middle East, North Africa and beyond. To learn more about republishing this content and the associated fees, please fill out this form. More about MEE can be found here.
