Turkiye's Fidan meets Ukraine's Umerov in Ankara

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held talks with Rustem Umerov, Secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defence Council, marking his first diplomatic engagement of the new year.

According to a statement shared by Türkiye’s Foreign Ministry, the meeting took place in Ankara on Thursday.

No details were disclosed, but the talks came at a moment of growing international optimism that renewed diplomatic momentum could help bring the nearly four-year-old Russia-Ukraine war closer to an end.

Türkiye, which maintains working relations with both Moscow and Kiev, has positioned itself as a key mediator since the conflict began, pushing for ceasefire efforts, prisoner exchanges, and negotiations aimed at ending the war.

A diplomatic marathon for Fidan in 2025

The meeting with Umerov follows an intensive year of diplomacy for Fidan.

According to Foreign Ministry figures, he held 241 meetings with counterparts from 89 countries in 2025, underscoring Ankara’s active foreign policy footprint.

A video shared by the ministry highlighted that Fidan conducted 73 overseas visits to 50 countries last year, including 22 trips alongside President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

He also hosted 22 multilateral meetings and participated in 31 international gatherings, 10 of them with Erdogan in attendance.

In addition, Türkiye welcomed foreign ministers from 96 countries through bilateral visits and multilateral events, reflecting Ankara’s broad diplomatic outreach amid a shifting global landscape.