Turkey’s Fidan heads to Moscow as S-400 sanctions issue returns to fore
The visit comes weeks before Turkey hosts NATO leaders, on the sidelines of which Ankara hopes to reach a deal with Washington over CAATSA sanctions over its purchase of Russian S-400s.
ANKARA — Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will travel to Moscow on Tuesday, just weeks before Turkey hosts a NATO summit where Ankara hopes to make progress on US sanctions tied to its purchase of Russian S-400 air defense systems.
Inside the talks: During the visit, Fidan is expected to be received by Russian President Vladimir Putin and meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and other senior officials, a Turkish diplomatic source said Monday.
The source said Fidan is expected to stress that Turkey-Russia relations are “critical for regional stability and prosperity,” while discussing bilateral issues including trade, energy and security.
The talks will also cover regional issues, including efforts to reach a comprehensive peace deal between Azerbaijan and Armenia, the Russia-Ukraine war, and a framework peace agreement between the United States and Iran that is expected to be signed on Friday.
Why it matters: Fidan’s Moscow visit comes ahead of a NATO leaders' summit to be held in Ankara on July 7-8, which is expected to be attended by President Donald Trump.
On the sidelines of the summit, Turkey is eyeing a deal with Washington for the removal of US sanctions over Ankara’s purchase of Russia’s S-400 air defense systems.
The issue has weighed on US-Turkey defense ties since 2019, when the Trump administration removed Turkey from the international consortium that produces the F-35 and blocked its purchases of the new-generation fighter jets after Ankara received the first S-400 batteries from Russia. The following year, Washington imposed sanctions under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act.
Ankara and Washington began negotiating the removal of sanctions in 2024 but failed to reach an understanding, as under CAATSA sanctions, Ankara has to cease possession of the Russian-made system.
One possible formula for the removal of the sanctions would be for Russia to buy back the systems. Another would be for Turkey to dismantle and move them to a Turkish military facility abroad in an effort to meet the “cease possession” requirement under US law.
Both options remain uncertain. Any resale, transfer or relocation of the Russian-made systems could require Moscow’s consent under the original purchase terms.
Background: Fidan’s visit to Russia ahead of the summit also reflects Ankara’s balancing act between its NATO allies and Moscow.
Ankara has maintained close ties with Moscow despite Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, refusing to join Western sanctions while backing Ukraine’s territorial integrity and supplying Kyiv with drones.
The balancing act has allowed Turkey to cast itself as a possible mediator between Moscow and Kyiv. Turkey hosted Russia-Ukraine negotiations last year and in 2022.
Fidan is expected to reiterate Turkey’s offer to host a new round of negotiations between the two warring countries during the visit, according to the Turkish source.
Know more: Economic ties between the two countries also remain a major pillar of the relationship. Bilateral trade reached $49.08 billion in 2025, including $6.7 billion in Turkish exports to Russia and $42.3 billion in imports, according to official Turkish statistics.
