Erdogan and Putin hold talks over Syria crisis

THE Turkish and Russian presidents sat down for talks in Moscow aimed at ending hostilities in north-western Syria involving their forces along with proxies that threaten to pit Turkey against Russia in a direct military conflict.

Before the latest crisis, President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had managed to co-ordinate their interests in Syria even though Moscow backed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad while Ankara supported its foes throughout Syria’s nine-year war.

Both Russia and Turkey appear eager to avoid a showdown, but their sharply conflicting interests in Idlib province make it difficult to negotiate a mutually acceptable compromise.

Both leaders underlined the need to reach agreement at the start of the Kremlin talks.

Putin said they need to work out steps to end fighting and prevent damage to bilateral relations.

Erdogan also voiced hope for finding a settlement and pointed at blossoming Russia-Turkey trade. A Russia-backed Syrian offensive to regain control over Idlib, the last opposition-controlled region in the country, has pushed nearly a million Syrians towards Turkey.

Erdogan responded by opening Turkey’s gateway to Europe in an apparent bid to coerce the West to offer his country more support.

Turkey has sent thousands of troops into Idlib to repel the Syrian army, and clashes on the ground and in the air that have left dozens dead on both sides.

Russia, which has helped Assad reclaim most of the country’s territory, has signalled it would not sit idle and watch Turkey rout his troops. Putin offered his condolences to Erdogan over Turkish losses in a Syrian air strike.