The spokesperson for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maria Zakharova, announced that Minister Sergey Lavrov will visit Turkey on the upcoming Friday and Saturday, as the two countries prepare for a visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin to Turkey. Zakharova added that Lavrov will attend a forum and hold talks with his Turkish counterpart. Russia and Turkey are preparing for Putin's visit, which the Kremlin stated this week would take place after the Russian presidential elections occurring in mid-March.