Russian FM Lavrov to visit Turkiye on Monday
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The Russian Foreign Minister's visit was preceded by a visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, as Erdogan asserts his country is the ideal place to hold peace negotiations.
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Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov speaks to lawmakers during a session at the State Duma, the Lower House of the Russian Parliament in Moscow, Russia, on Wednesday, February 19, 2025. (AP)
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is set to visit Turkiye on Monday, on the third anniversary of the Ukrainian war, to hold talks with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan regarding the war and other topics, according to AFP.
Maria Zakharova, Russia's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, confirmed the information to TASS news agency, saying that "a delegation led by Lavrov will shortly be visiting Turkey" to discuss "a wide range of issues."
Turkiye is asserting its role in ending the conflict between Moscow and Kiev as it did in 2022 when it hosted direct negotiations between the two countries, as it hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday as Turkish president Recep Tayyeb Erdogan insists that Turkiye would be an "ideal host" for these negotiations according to AFP.
Moscow, Washington, negotiate for peace
This follows intensified efforts by the United States and Russia to work toward an end to the 3-year conflict, starting with talks between Trump and Putin announced by the US president on February 12.
Trump revealed that he had a "lengthy and highly productive" phone call with the Russian President covering several topics including the war in Ukraine, the Middle East, energy, and artificial intelligence, adding that they agreed to commence peace negotiations.
This announcement was closely followed by a meeting between Russia and the United States in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on February 18, when US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the two countries have three main goals: Restoring staffing at their embassies in Washington and Moscow, forming a high-level team to promote Ukraine peace negotiations, and exploring tighter contacts and economic collaboration.
Meanwhile, Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky said that his country would reject any agreements Russia and the US reached if his country is not included in the meetings, postponing his trip to Riyadh to avoid lending legitimacy to these talks.
Russia has demanded the withdrawal of NATO forces from the eastern flank in the first round of negotiations to end the war in Ukraine, according to a Financial Times report, raising concerns among European officials that Trump may agree to a peace deal on Russian conditions.
The Financial Times cites Romanian presidential chief of staff and National Security adviser Christian Diaconescu saying that the United States rejected this demand, warning that there are no guarantees as to whether Washington will concede this point or not.
The Russian Deputy Foreign Minister said that a high-level Russian-American meeting is set within the next two weeks to discuss "irritants" in bilateral relations according to RIA Novosti, which cited him as saying, "There is a principal agreement to hold relevant comprehensive consultations for the systematic and detailed development of the entire block of so-called irritants."
