Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan received Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Ankara on Feb. 24, 2025, alongside his Foreign Minister, Hakan Fidan. (Credit: Turkish Presidential Press Service)
?Istanbul was selected as the venue for the second official meeting between U.S. and Russian officials since the start of the war in Ukraine. On the agenda for Thursday, Feb. 27: restoring diplomatic engagement between the two countries after years of strained relations under the previous administration of Joe Biden. With President Donald Trump back in the White House, Washington hopes to leverage Moscow’s desire to break out of its isolation to weaken its ties with Beijing.As in the first round of talks, Ukraine was not invited to participate. However, Ankara has sought to position itself as a mediator since the onset of Russia’s invasion, carefully navigating a delicate balancing act between the two sides.Turkey's balancing act since the war in UkraineUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was received by his Turkish counterpart,...
?Istanbul was selected as the venue for the second official meeting between U.S. and Russian officials since the start of the war in Ukraine. On the agenda for Thursday, Feb. 27: restoring diplomatic engagement between the two countries after years of strained relations under the previous administration of Joe Biden. With President Donald Trump back in the White House, Washington hopes to leverage Moscow’s desire to break out of its isolation to weaken its ties with Beijing.As in the first round of talks, Ukraine was not invited to participate. However, Ankara has sought to position itself as a mediator since the onset of Russia’s invasion, carefully navigating a delicate balancing act between the two sides.Turkey's balancing act since the war in UkraineUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was received by his Turkish...