Ankara, August 28: Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan have on Tuesday held discussions about a potential expansion of bilateral defence industry cooperation, keeping aside differences over the pertaining situation in the Syrian northwestern province of Idlib – a region of war where Moscow-backed govt offensive has been carrying on since April.
Erdogan slammed the Syrian government for escalating offensives in the Idlib province, stating it was “unacceptable that the regime rains death on civilians from air and land, under the pretext of fighting terrorism”.
“We do not want this to continue. All necessary steps will be taken here as needed,” he added. “The situation [in Idlib] has become so complicated that at this moment our troops are in danger.”
According to Al-Jazeera, Erdogan met Putin on Tuesday in Moscow, a few days after Turkey has said its military convoy was targeted by the government of Syria, as well as, one of its check posts was also being surrounded, in two separate incidents.
Interacting with journalists alongside Putin, Erdogan stated the attacks in the Idlib region disrupted the calm that was agreed last year after Russia and Turkey supported resisting sides in Syria’s civil war to turn the rebel-held Idlib province into a de-escalation zone.
Putin said he and Erdogan had reached an agreement on “additional joint steps” in order to “normalize” the pertaining situation in Idlib province, however, he did not offer further details.
“The situation in the Idlib de-escalation zone is of serious concern to us and our Turkish partners,” Putin told the media conference, in reference to the Sept 2018 agreement between the two nations to prevent a Syrian offence in the region.
The Russian president also said he was gravely concerned about the Syrian forces’ offensive in the de-escalation zone, targeting Russian positions and Syria’s government, and urged Turkey to stamp out of these attacks.
“Terrorists continue shelling the positions of Syrian government forces, trying to attack Russian military installations,” Putin said. “The de-escalation zone must not serve as a refuge for militants, let alone a bridgehead for new attacks.”
Putin reiterated Russia didn’t seek the Idlib province to be a safe haven for “terrorists”.
Both leaders have made concentrated efforts in bilateral ties focused on defence and energy cooperation despite large differences over Syria.
His Turkish colleague also hinted at buying Russian Su-57, a cutting-edge fighter plane meant to become Moscow’s alternative for the F-35. Erdogan watched Sukhoi fighters flying during the event and then approached a Su-57 and asked if it for sale.
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