A Significant Gathering in Moscow

On 22 April 2026, an international media forum entitled "Turkey–Russia Relations: 105 Years and Beyond" was convened at the Moscow State Pedagogical University (MPGU).

The forum was held in commemoration of the 105th anniversary of the Treaty of Moscow, signed on 16 March 1921, widely regarded as one of the cornerstones of modern diplomatic relations between Turkey and the Russian Federation. The event was organised through the collective initiative of the Russian Union of Journalists, the A.M. Gorchakov Public Diplomacy Support Foundation, the Russian Peace Foundation, and MPGU.

The roster of participants included Mikhail Shvydkoy, Special Presidential Envoy of the Russian Federation for International Cultural Cooperation, and Sergei Cheryomin, Head of the Moscow Department for External Economic and International Relations, in addition to a considerable delegation of diplomats, academics, and media professionals from Turkey.

Among the invited participants from our university was Turac Ali, Lecturer in the Department of Russian Language and Literature and Coordinator of Erasmus and International Relations. Across the forum's various sessions, delegates engaged with a broad spectrum of contemporary issues, including the historical underpinnings of bilateral relations, economic cooperation, the role of media in strengthening inter-societal dialogue, digital transformation, and the challenge of countering disinformation.

In her presentation, entitled "Russian Language Education in Turkey: Current State and Future Perspectives", Turac Ali offered a rigorous assessment of the growing scholarly and practical interest in Russian language instruction within Turkey, and examined the degree to which institutions of higher education have thus far proved adequate to meeting this demand.

The two-day forum concluded on a note of considered optimism, with participants reaffirming their conviction that the deep-rooted ties shared by the two nations are not merely a legacy of the past, but a foundation upon which an enduring and mutually enriching partnership may continue to be built.