ANKARA: Turkish Foreign Affairs Minister Hakan Fidan has confirmed an upcoming visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin, although the exact date has not been officially announced.
Speculations point to February 12 as a likely date for the visit, which would mark Putin’s first to a NATO member since the beginning of the Ukraine invasion in February 2022.
Fidan emphasized that the visit would provide an opportunity to discuss various issues between the two nations. The last meeting between Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan occurred in September 2023 in Sochi. However, regular telephonic conversations have maintained communication between the leaders.
The agenda for the discussions is expected to cover several significant topics, including energy cooperation, the situation in Gaza, Black Sea trade routes, and developments in Syria. Turkey and Russia find themselves on opposing sides in the Syrian conflict, with differences over the presence of Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) militants in northeast Syria. The PKK is internationally recognized as a terrorist organization, and Turkey accuses Russia of not fully adhering to a 2019 agreement aimed at creating a buffer zone between Turkish forces and PKK militants.
Ankara’s ability to maintain diplomatic relations with both Ukraine and Russia, despite their conflicting interests, has allowed Turkey to navigate complex geopolitical dynamics, including avoiding Western sanctions against Russia while engaging in arms sales to Ukraine. The upcoming meeting between Putin and Erdoğan is anticipated to address these critical issues and potentially pave the way for enhanced cooperation or resolution of ongoing disputes.
