Ministries announce that Russian foreign minister to attend Turkey diplomacy forum

• Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to attend the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Turkey.
• Lavrov will meet Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan at the event.
• Their last visit to Turkey was in April 2022, when they met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The governments of both countries announced that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will attend a diplomacy forum in Turkey on Friday. This follows criticism of Ankara over its support for Moscow during the Ukraine war. The Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF) in southern Turkey, which began in 2021, serves as a platform for policymakers, businessmen, researchers, and academics to exchange ideas and views on diplomacy, policy, and business.

On Wednesday, Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova announced that Lavrov will meet Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan at the gathering. Turkish ministry spokesman Oncu Keceli confirmed this to AFP.

Lavrov, who participated in Antalya in 2022 just weeks after Russia invaded Ukraine, last visited Turkey in April last year. During this visit, he met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara. Turkey, which borders the Black Sea like Ukraine and Russia, has succeeded in maintaining links to both sides in the conflict.

The White House unveiled the latest round of sanctions last week, targeting sixteen Turkish entities. Washington accused individuals and companies of aiding in the supply of Russia’s industry and facilitating Moscow’s ability to wage war against Ukraine. Turkey has played a key role in the export of Ukrainian grain by sea, via a secure corridor under the aegis of the UN, but has also been singled out for helping Russia circumvent some Western sanctions.

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