Putin, Erdogan discuss the situation in Syria and Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin and President of the Turkish regime Recep Tayyip Erdogan discussed, during a phone call today, the situation in Syria and Ukraine.

A statement by the Kremlin, reported by Russia Today website, stated that during the call, prospects for resolving the crisis in Syria were discussed.

The two sides gave positive assessment on the meeting of the defense ministers of Syria, Turkey and Russia held in Moscow in December 2022, with the participation of the heads of the intelligence services of the three countries, the statement added.

The statement indicated that the development of contacts in this tripartite form would contribute to a radical improvement of the situation in Syria, including the restoration of its territorial integrity, the resolution of the refugee problem and the fight against international terrorist organizations.

According to the statement, President Putin noted the destructive role being played by the West through supplying weapons to Ukraine, affirming Russia’s openness to serious dialogue on the condition that the Kiev authorities abide by the agreed on principles, and take into account new regional realities.

Putin also stressed the need to remove obstacles to Russian exports when considering the validity of the Istanbul Agreements of July 2022 on the export of Ukrainian grain and to remove the ban on the supply of food and fertilizer from Russia.

According to the statement, the two sides noted the importance of the joint projects of top priority such as the establishment of a gas center in Turkey. In this regard, the two sides discussed further expansion of trade and economic relations, particularly in the energy sector.

Amal Farhat