Turkish Foreign Minister meets Lavrov in Russia for economic talks

• Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan discussed economic issues with Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov.
• The talks took place in Nizhny Novgorod, where Fidan was attending a meeting of the BRICS group.
• Turkiye’s growing trade, tourism, and energy ties with Russia have been criticized by Western allies.

According to a Turkish diplomatic source, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan raised “economic issues that are important for Turkiye” with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on Tuesday. They also discussed the war in Gaza.

The source provided no details on the talks, which occurred in the Russian city of Nizhny Novgorod where Fidan was attending a meeting of the BRICS group. Last week, Fidan stated that Turkiye, a NATO ally, might consider joining the group, which Moscow hopes will one day challenge US domination of the global economy.

The diplomatic source informed reporters that Fidan also met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Nizhny Novgorod. Fidan made his remarks about joining BRICS during a visit to Beijing, although Turkiye has not formally applied to join.

Turkiye’s burgeoning trade, tourism, and energy ties with Russia have drawn growing criticism from its Western allies. Ankara asserts its commitment to NATO membership and its aspiration to join the European Union but has refrained from joining Western sanctions imposed on Moscow over the war in Ukraine.

The diplomatic source stated that Fidan would represent Turkiye at a conference in Switzerland on Ukraine over the weekend. Ankara has voiced support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity and provided it with military backing while maintaining cordial ties with Moscow.

Turkiye has previously stated that it will not become a haven for those circumventing the sanctions imposed on Russia and that it has implemented compliance measures. The Treasury indicated that Russian sanctions evasion activity was occurring via China, the United Arab Emirates, and Turkiye. She stated that the Treasury aimed “to disrupt evasion wherever we see it, from Central Asia to the Caucasus and throughout Europe.”

According to the source, Fidan held talks on Monday in Moscow with Sergei Shoigu, secretary of Russia’s Security Council, Russian presidential aide Igor Levitin, and Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service chief Sergei Naryshkin.

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