[86147] Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan's Visit to Moscow: Mediation Efforts in the Ukraine War

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan's Visit to Moscow

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan completed a round of political meetings in Moscow on June 16, 2026. During his visit, Fidan met with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, with the aim of promoting a diplomatic solution to the war in Ukraine. According to gdh, Fidan clarified to Lavrov that Turkey is interested in "ending the war in Ukraine through peaceful means" and emphasized Ankara's readiness to host additional rounds of negotiations.

For his part, Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov thanked Turkey for its contribution to the process, but qualified that "the root causes of the problem must be removed" - a statement reflecting the Russian government's position regarding NATO expansion and the security situation in the region. According to gdh, Moscow expresses appreciation for Turkey's mediation efforts, as it attempts to maintain its status as a neutral mediator in the war.

In parallel to the discussions on Ukraine, Fidan used his visit to criticize Israel's conduct in the region. According to a gdh report, the minister stated that "Israel's positions are a problem for the whole world," a remark that reflects Ankara's hardline political stance toward Jerusalem.

Within the framework of his highly publicized visit, according to İhlas Haber Ajansı, Fidan emphasized that Turkey will continue to provide all necessary support for the resolution of the Ukrainian crisis. In addition to the political meetings, Fidan held working meetings with Turkish businesspeople in Russia and met with advisors to President Vladimir Putin, Vladimir Medinsky and Igor Levitin, as reported in Sondakika Haber Gündem.