Russia’s Lavrov to visit Turkey on March 1-2

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will visit Turkey on Friday and Saturday, his spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said, as the two countries prepare a visit to Turkey by President Vladimir Putin.

Lavrov will attend a forum and hold talks with his Turkish counterpart, Zakharova said.

Russia and Turkey have been preparing a Putin visit which the Kremlin said this week would take place after Russia's presidential election in mid-March. [Reuters]