President Barzani at ADF2025: Holding key talks with Russian, Turkish officials

Shafaq News/ On Saturday, Kurdish President Nechirvan Barzani met Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Turkish Defence Minister Yaşar Güler on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF2025), the Kurdistan Region Presidency stated.

Barzani and Lavrov exchanged views on developments in Iraq and the region, including the conflict in Syria and relations between Erbil and Baghdad. They discussed expanding cooperation, particularly in the energy sector, where Russian firms such as Rosneft and Gazprom Neft hold contracts in northern Iraq.

Separately, Barzani and Güler focused on security coordination between Turkiye, Iraq, and the Kurdistan Region. The two stressed the need to prevent further escalation in the region and voiced support for efforts to revive Turkiye’s peace process, dormant since 2015.

The talks come as Ankara continues cross-border operations against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in northern Iraq, where it maintains military and economic ties with both Baghdad and Erbil.

The Antalya Diplomacy Forum brings together regional and international officials for talks on security, diplomacy and energy amid heightened tensions in the Middle East.