Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s visit to Türkiye on the 23 February is significant given the complexity of Russo-Turkish relations amidst the Ukraine war.
Despite Türkiye’s support for Ukraine, Ankara continues to maintain diplomatic ties with Moscow, seeking to balance its commitments to its allies and national interests.
Why Lavrov’s Visit?
Sergey Lavrov arrived in Ankara on 23 February, 2025, for talks with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Discussions focussed on bilateral relations, the situation in Ukraine, and Syria.
The last meeting between Lavrov and Fidan took place on 20 February on the sidelines of the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Johannesburg.
Türkiye’s Ambivalence on Ukraine
Türkiye, a NATO member, openly supports Ukraine’s territorial integrity and condemns Russia’s actions on Ukrainian territory although Ankara maintains avenues of key communication with Moscow: aviation, defence, and trade.
Ankara provided Kyiv with military and humanitarian aid, including drones and other weapons.
Türkiye repeatedly offered to mediate the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, emphasising the importance of a diplomatic solution.
The Significance of Lavrov’s Visit
Lavrov’s visit to Türkiye, amid Ankara’s support for Ukraine, highlights the complexity and multi-layered nature of Russian-Turkish relations. On the one hand, Türkiye seeks to maintain close economic and political ties with Russia, especially in the areas of energy, trade and tourism.
However, Ankara remains committed to its NATO allies and supports Ukraine in its standoff with Russia.
Discussion of the Syrian Issue
One of the key topics of such talks was the situation in Syria. Russia and Türkiye, despite supporting various parties in the Syrian conflict, are striving to work together to resolve the situation in this country.
Sergey Lavrov noted that the parties expressed satisfaction with the level of interaction achieved on the Syrian issue and confirmed their interest in giving momentum to joint work, taking into account the new realities.
Diplomatic Balance
Sergey Lavrov’s visit to Türkiye touched on the issues of Ukraine and Syria in addition to key aspects of bilateral cooperation. Energy security, including Russian gas supplies and the work of the Turkish Stream, trade relations, as well as migration and regional stability were discussed.
Analysts predict that the meeting will allow Moscow and Ankara to maintain a balance of interests: Türkiye will continue to support Ukraine, but will not abandon pragmatic cooperation with Russia.
Strengthening economic ties is expected, especially in energy and tourism, while Ankara will try to avoid Western pressure by continuing to act as a mediator in international negotiations.
Geopolitical Balance
The U.S. and EU expressed concern about Lavrov’s visit, pointing to its potential impact on Türkiye’s position in the conflict with Ukraine. Experts note that Ankara continues to balance between Moscow and the West, seeking to benefit from both sides.
Some analysts believe that the meeting could strengthen trade ties, but will not change Türkiye’s strategic priorities.
Lavrov’s visit strengthens Turkey’s balance sheet by maintaining strategic ties with both Russia and Western allies.
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