Putin meets with Turkish Foreign Minister Fidan in Kazan

Russian President Vladimir Putin held a meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan at the Galiyasgar Kamal Tatar State Academic Theater in Kazan on June 17, 2026. The meeting was attended by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and presidential aide Yuri Ushakov on the Russian side. Putin welcomed Fidan, noting that the Turkish minister had completed a series of productive meetings and useful contacts in Moscow with various Russian government departments. Putin emphasized that relations between Russia and Turkey have been developing in a positive direction and that the two nations' contacts have transcended formal protocol to become genuinely friendly in nature. He attributed this progress largely to the position taken by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and conveyed his best wishes to him, expressing a standing invitation for Erdogan to visit Russia. Fidan responded by delivering greetings from President Erdogan and acknowledged the busy international agenda in both the region and globally, noting that Putin's experience in these matters is of significant importance. He indicated that Turkey and Russia have much to discuss and highlighted the intensive program of meetings and exchanges of views that had taken place over the previous two to three days. Both officials expressed their commitment to ongoing dialogue on matters of mutual interest.