Erdoğan, Putin discuss Syria over phone

ANKARA

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin discussed the ongoing civil war in Syria over the phone on Oct. 28, according to a Turkish presidential source.

Erdoğan and Putin also discussed energy cooperation between Russia and Turkey, including the Akkuyu nuclear power plant and the Turkish Stream natural gas pipeline project, the source said.

The two leaders reportedly emphasized the importance of “being in close contact and acting in coordination” over the situation in Syria’s northwestern Idlib.

The leaders also talked about a Syria new peace meeting in Astana scheduled for “the end of October,” the source said.

The Turkish military recently concluded a military operation in Idlib, carried out in line with agreements reached at earlier peace talks in Astana, Kazakhstan. Turkish troops were tasked with monitoring a cease-fire and establishing a series of observation posts along the line between the Syrian areas of Idlib and Afrin.

During his conversation with Erdoğan, Putin also reportedly expressed his good wishes to all Turkish people on the occasion of the country’s Republic Day, Oct. 29.