Skip to main content
Tags: Syria | conflict | Turkey | Russia | Recep Tayyip Erdogan | Vladimir Putin | Mevlut Cavusoglu

Turkey Says Erdogan Will Meet Putin on Monday for Syria Talks

Turkey Says Erdogan Will Meet Putin on Monday for Syria Talks

Friday, 14 September 2018 05:58 AM EDT

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will meet with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Monday, officials said, amid rising international concern over a looming Syrian government assault on a rebel-held province bordering Turkey.

"President Erdogan will meet with Mr Putin on Monday," Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told a televised press conference on Friday.

The meeting will take place in the Russian resort city of Sochi, a senior Turkish official told AFP.

Russia-backed forces of the Syrian regime have massed around the Idlib province in recent weeks, sparking fears of an imminent air and ground attack to retake the last major opposition bastion.

UN agencies and relief organisations have warned repeatedly that such an assault could spark one of the worst humanitarian disasters of Syria's seven-year war.

Turkey has intensified negotiations with Russia to avert a possible attack, repeatedly calling for a ceasefire.

However last week Erdogan and Putin failed to agree on a ceasefire at a three-way summit in Tehran which also involved Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.

Russia and Iran are key allies of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime.

Turkey however backs opposition fighters seeking the ouster of the Syrian leader, and has said a large-scale offensive against the rebels could trigger a mass exodus towards its border.

Cavusoglu on Friday said Turkey was ready to cooperate with anyone in the fight against terror groups in Syria, but criticised the Damascus regime for using the presence of jihadists groups to legitimise a possible operation in Idlib.

"We are ready to cooperate with everyone in the fight against terror groups but the killing of civilians, women and children under the guise of fighting against terror is not correct," he said.

"We cannot bring peace that way."

Idlib's most powerful armed faction is the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) jihadist group, which Ankara officially designated a "terrorist" group last month.

© AFP 2025


Newsfront
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will meet with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Monday, officials said, amid rising international concern over a looming Syrian government assault on a rebel-held province bordering Turkey."President Erdogan will meet with Mr...
Syria, conflict, Turkey, Russia, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Vladimir Putin, Mevlut Cavusoglu
308
2018-58-14
Friday, 14 September 2018 05:58 AM
Newsmax Media, Inc.

Sign up for Newsmaxā€™s Daily Newsletter

Receive breaking news and original analysis - sent right to your inbox.

(Optional for Local News)
Privacy: We never share your email address.
Join the Newsmax Community
Read and Post Comments
Please review Community Guidelines before posting a comment.
 
TOP

Interest-Based Advertising | Do not sell or share my personal information

Newsmax, Moneynews, Newsmax Health, and Independent. American. are registered trademarks of Newsmax Media, Inc. Newsmax TV, and Newsmax World are trademarks of Newsmax Media, Inc.

NEWSMAX.COM
America's News Page
Ā© Newsmax Media, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
Download the Newsmax App
NEWSMAX.COM
America's News Page
Ā© Newsmax Media, Inc.
All Rights Reserved