Rudaw – President Barzani meets Russian FM Lavrov in Turkey

President Nechirvan Barzani meets with Sergey Lavrov, Foreign Minister of Russia, April 2025 (Presidency Of The Kurdistan Region Iraq/Public domain)

Kurdistan’s President Nechirvan Barzani met with Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Turkey. The pair “emphasized the importance they attach to relations between Russia, Iraq, and the Kurdistan Region, and reaffirmed their mutual desire to expand bilateral cooperation in various fields”, according to a readout from the Kurdish President’s office. Barzani also met with Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa at the forum, Rudaw reported. The meetings come as the KRG attempts to balance strong relations with the US alongside a growing partnership with Russia and Iran.