The leaders of Russia and Türkiye had a phone call during which they discussed the escalation in Syria among other issues
Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan had a phone call on Tuesday during which they discussed bilateral ties and other issues, including the “sharply escalated situation in Syria,” according to the readout from the Kremlin press service.
The two leaders agreed to boost their cooperation in order to “normalize” the situation in Syria, reiterating the key role played by Russia, Türkiye, and Iran in the region. The phone call was held at the request of Ankara, the press service added.
“Vladimir Putin emphasized the need to promptly end the terrorist aggression against the Syrian state and to support the efforts of the legitimate authorities to restore stability and constitutional order throughout the country, in particular, using Ankara’s existing capabilities in the region,” the Kremlin’s statement said.
Erdogan, meanwhile, said Türkiye has been “working for a fair and lasting solution in Syria while also continuing to support Syria’s territorial integrity,” according to the press service of the Turkish presidency.
“President Erdogan highlighted the importance of making more room for diplomacy in the region, and underscored that the Syrian regime should engage in the political solution process,” it added.
Ankara will also “continue to maintain its determined stance on the fight against the terrorist organization PKK and its extensions that are trying to take advantage of the recent developments in Syria,” the press service noted, referring to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). Türkiye has been fighting the separatist party for decades and regards the Kurdish-led forces operating in Syria, such as the Kurdish Democratic Union Party and People’s Defense Units, as its offshoots.
The situation in Syria has deteriorated rapidly in recent days after the Hayat Tahrir-al-Sham (HTS) terrorist group (formerly Jabhat al-Nusra) and its allies launched a large-scale surprise attack in the northwestern part of the country. The insurgents pushed back government forces and captured significant swaths of territory in the Aleppo and Idlib provinces.
