- The two leaders are on opposite sides of the Syria conflict
- Russia and Turkey have agreed to coordinate ground operations in Syria
MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan at a meeting in Moscow on Wednesday vowed to coordinate their actions more closely in Syria.
鈥淐ooperation between Russia and Turkey is a touchstone for Syrian peace and stability,鈥� Erdogan said in translated comments at a joint press conference after their talks, which lasted around three hours.
鈥淲ith our Russian friends we intend to strengthen our coordination even more.鈥�
鈥淲e agreed how we鈥檒l coordinate our work in the near future,鈥� Putin said, calling the talks which included the countries鈥� defense ministers 鈥渆ffective.鈥�
At the start of their meeting in the Kremlin, Putin addressed Erdogan as 鈥渄ear friend,鈥� saying that their countries 鈥渨ork on issues of regional security and actively cooperate on Syria.鈥�
Erdogan used the same term for Putin and said 鈥渙ur solidarity makes a weighty contribution to the security of the region.鈥�
The two leaders are on opposite sides of the Syria conflict: Russia provides critical support to the Syrian government, while Turkey has backed rebel groups fighting President Bashar Assad鈥檚 forces.
Despite this, they have worked closely to find a political solution to the seven-year conflict.
Russia and Turkey have agreed to coordinate ground operations in Syria following US President Donald Trump鈥檚 shock announcement last month about pulling 2,000 American troops out of Syria.
Putin said that if carried out, the withdrawal of US troops from northeastern Syria 鈥渨ill be a positive step, it will help stabilize the situation in this restive area.鈥�
Turkey has also welcomed Washington鈥檚 planned withdrawal, but the future of US-backed Kurdish militia forces labelled terrorists by Ankara has upset ties between the NATO allies.
Erdogan had said on Monday he would discuss with Putin the creation of a Turkish-controlled 鈥渟ecurity zone鈥� in northern Syria, suggested by Trump.
The US-allied Kurds, who control much of the north, have rejected the idea, fearing a Turkish offensive against territory under their control.
Putin said Wednesday that Russia supports 鈥渆stablishing dialogue between Damascus officials and representatives of the Kurds.鈥�
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov last week said that Damascus must take control of the north.
The northwestern province of Idlib earlier this month fell under the full control of a jihadist group dominated by Syria鈥檚 former Al-Qaeda affiliate.
The Russian foreign ministry said earlier Wednesday that the situation in the province remained of 鈥渟erious concern.鈥�
Putin said that the leaders discussed the situation in Idlib 鈥渋n great detail today.鈥�
鈥淲e have a shared conviction that we must continue jointly fighting terrorists wherever they are, including in the Idlib zone,鈥� the Russian leader said.
Erdogan said that the countries will wage a 鈥渓engthy fight鈥� in Syria.
Nearly eight years into Syria鈥檚 deadly conflict, the planned US pullout has led to another key step in Assad鈥檚 Russian-backed drive to reassert control.
Kurdish forces who were left exposed by Trump鈥檚 pledge to withdraw have asked the Syrian regime for help to face a threatened Turkish offensive.
The Kremlin hailed the entry by Syrian forces into the key northern city of Manbij for the first time in six years after Kurds opened the gates.
Moscow plans to organize a three-way summit with Turkey and Iran early this year as part of the Astana peace process, launched by the three countries in 2017.
Putin said Wednesday the next summit would be held 鈥渋n the near future鈥� in Russia, saying the leaders still needed to agree the time and location with Iran.
The last meeting between Putin, Erdogan and Iran鈥檚 Hassan Rouhani took place in Iran in September last year with the fate of rebel-held Idlib province dominating the agenda.
Ties between Russia and Turkey plunged to their lowest level in years in November 2015 when Turkish forces shot down a Russian warplane over Syria.
But after a reconciliation deal in 2016, relations have recovered at a remarkable speed with Putin and Erdogan cooperating closely over Syria, Turkey buying Russian-made air defense systems and Russia building Turkey鈥檚 first nuclear power plant.