Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan held talks with Sergei Shoigu, Secretary of the Russian Federation Security Council, in Moscow on Tuesday as part of a broader working visit to Russia.

The meeting, announced in advance by the Russian Security Council, took place amid ongoing high-level diplomatic engagements between Türkiye and Russia. Fidan’s visit to Moscow runs from June 15–17 at the invitation of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, focusing on bilateral relations and a wide range of regional and international issues.

According to Turkish and Russian diplomatic sources, discussions between Fidan and Shoigu likely covered key security and regional topics, building on patterns from previous encounters. These typically include developments in Syria, the South Caucasus (particularly Azerbaijan-Armenia normalization), the Black Sea region, and broader Middle East stability. In past meetings, the two have also addressed the situation in Ukraine and Gaza.

Fidan’s trip comes at a sensitive time, with Türkiye reiterating its readiness to host renewed peace talks between Russia and Ukraine. The Turkish diplomat has renewed Ankara’s offer to mediate, leveraging its balanced relations with both Moscow and Kyiv. Additional talks during the visit are expected to touch on Black Sea shipping safety, energy cooperation, trade, and the situation in the South Caucasus.

The Fidan-Shoigu meeting forms part of a packed schedule that includes discussions with Lavrov and a anticipated meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. These engagements underscore the strategic depth of Turkish-Russian ties, which combine economic interdependence (notably in energy and trade) with coordination on regional conflicts despite differing positions on certain issues.

No detailed official readout of the specific Fidan-Shoigu discussions has been released yet, consistent with the often closed-door nature of such security-focused talks. Analysts view the encounter as part of routine high-level coordination that helps manage complex bilateral dynamics and contributes to stability in overlapping areas of interest.

This visit marks another chapter in the pragmatic diplomacy between Ankara and Moscow, which continues to navigate global tensions while advancing mutual interests. Further details are expected to emerge in the coming hours or days following the conclusion of Fidan’s program in the Russian capital. (ILKHA)