ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – President of the Kurdistan Region Nechirvan Barzani on Saturday morning met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Turkey, with the pair discussing “the state of cooperation between the Kurdistan Region, Iraq, and Russia,” according to a post on X by President Barzani.

The pair reportedly discussed ongoing regional issues in addition to the prospects of enhancing cooperation between Russia and the Kurdistan Region, particularly with regards to financial ties.

A statement from the Kurdistan Region’s Presidency read that “Russia's relations with Iraq and the Kurdistan region, particularly in the sector of finances, were discussed during the meeting. They also exchanged views on the overall situation in Iraq and the region and the latest political and security-related developments.”

Relations between Erbil and Baghdad, as well as recent developments in Syria, were another topic of discussion.

The statement added that both sides “reiterated bilateral wishes for expanding cooperation across various sectors.”

The pair met at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Turkey, an annual diplomatic conference held in Antalya that seeks to bring delegations from various countries together to discuss regional and international issues.

In addition to his meeting with Lavrov, President Barzani also held private discussions with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa on Friday.

The meeting with President Erdogan marks an opportune diplomatic engagement, coming soon after the Turkish leader endorsed a call for a ceasefire by imprisoned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Ocalan in late February.

Following his meeting with Erdogan, President Barzani noted that he emphasized "the importance of reviving the peace process in Türkiye as a path toward stability and lasting peace" to the Turkish president.

The PKK is an armed group that has fought for increased Kurdish rights in Turkey for decades. The group is designated a terrorist organization by Ankara.