Baladi News - Newspapers
Russia and Turkey have a crucial role to play in resolving the conflict in Syria, President Vladimir Putin told his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a day after their countries agreed to coordinate military steps following the U.S. decision to withdraw its forces.
In a New Year’s message to Erdogan published by the Kremlin on Sunday, Putin said that “Moscow and Ankara are making a decisive contribution to the fight against terrorism in Syria, as well as to the promotion of a political settlement in that country.”
His comment came a day after the Russian and Turkish foreign and defense ministers, as well as the countries’ intelligence chiefs, held talks in Moscow on Syria as they move to fill the void left by President Donald Trump’s decision to order a military pullout.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel told Erdogan in a phone call Sunday that she expects Turkey to react with “restraint and responsibility” following the U.S. withdrawal, according to a German government spokeswoman. Merkel praised Turkey for taking in Syrian refugees, the spokeswoman said.
Russia and Turkey have been maneuvering to position themselves for a new order in a Syria without a U.S. military presence. Trump announced the withdrawal on Dec. 19 after a phone call with Erdogan, prompting the departure of his secretary of defense, Jim Mattis, in protest. Brett McGurk, the lead envoy for the U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State, also resigned.
In a New Year’s message to Assad, Putin said Russia “will continue to provide all possible assistance” to Syria in “the fight against the forces of terrorism, in defense of state sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
Source: Stars and Stripes.