Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday appointed veteran diplomat Sergey Vershinin as Moscow’s new ambassador to Türkiye, a move that comes at a delicate moment in the war diplomacy surrounding Ukraine.
The appointment, formalised by presidential decree, ends a five-month vacancy in Ankara following the reassignment of former ambassador Alexey Yerkhov. Russia’s embassy had since been headed by a chargé d’affaires.
Vershinin, a longtime deputy foreign minister and career diplomat with postings across North Africa and the Middle East, is widely regarded as one of Moscow’s most experienced negotiators on multilateral diplomacy, including UN affairs and regional crises.
His arrival in Ankara comes as Türkiye continues to position itself as a pivotal intermediary between Moscow and Kiev.
Since the start of the war, Ankara has hosted talks, helped broker the Black Sea grain export deal, and maintained channels with both sides.
In a parallel decree, Putin named Russia’s ambassador to Egypt, Georgy Borisenko, as a new deputy foreign minister, part of a broader diplomatic reshuffle.
For Ankara, the appointment underscores its continuing strategic importance to both Russia and NATO allies as the conflict enters a more uncertain phase and pressure mounts for renewed diplomatic efforts.
