Putin hails Türkiye ties as he hosts Fidan in Kazan

Putin hails Türkiye ties as he hosts Fidan in Kazan

KAZAN

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met Russian President Vladimir Putin on June 17 in the Russian city of Kazan, with both sides emphasizing the expansion of bilateral ties and regional diplomacy.

“We had the opportunity to hear his assessments on regional issues,” Fidan said in a statement on X after the meeting on the sidelines of an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit.

According to a Kremlin transcript of the opening remarks, Putin said relations between Moscow and Ankara were “developing steadily.”

“We are very pleased about this,” Putin said during the meeting, which was also attended by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and presidential aide Yury Ushakov.

Putin said contacts between Russia and Türkiye had moved beyond formal diplomatic engagement and had become “truly friendly,” adding that bilateral ties continued to gain new significance.

“I am pleased to have the opportunity to meet with you on the sidelines of today’s event and discuss current issues of interest to both our countries,” Putin said.

In his X post, Fidan said the talks with Lavrov and other senior Russian officials focused on areas where Türkiye and Russia could further expand cooperation and exchange views on regional issues.

Fidan reiterated Ankara’s position on the war in Ukraine, saying Türkiye continued to support a negotiated settlement.

“As Türkiye, we wish to see the war between Russia and Ukraine conclude at the diplomacy table,” he said, adding that Ankara remained ready to provide support for future negotiations, including hosting additional rounds of talks.

During his visit, Fidan also met Turkish business representatives in Moscow and attended a ceremony at Moscow State Institute of International Relations, where he received an honorary doctorate.