Putin hosts Turkish counterpart for talks

MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin is hosting Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan for talks focusing on the situation in Syria. Putin opened Monday’s meeting at Russia’s Black Sea resort of Sochi by saying that relations Moscow and Ankara have been “restored practically in full.” Ties between the two countries were badly strained by Turkey’s downing of a Russian warplane in 2015, but Putin and Erdogan have managed to mend the rift. Russia and Turkey, together with Iran, have agreed on deescalation zones in Syria that helped reduce the fighting. Putin’s talks with Erdogan follow a weekend statement on Syria approved by Putin and President Donald Trump.