Following Trump, Erdoğan holds phone call with Putin... Messages on Syria and Ukraine

It was reported that a phone call took place between Putin and Erdoğan. It was stated that the conversation covered bilateral relations as well as regional crises, primarily those in Ukraine and Syria.

It was noted that Erdoğan and Putin exchanged views regarding the agreement reached between Ukraine and Russia in the Black Sea to refrain from targeting commercial vessels. It was announced that Erdoğan requested support from Putin to ensure stabilization in Syria and asked for Russia's assistance in lifting sanctions against the Damascus administration.

The Presidency's Directorate of Communications stated the following regarding the meeting:

''Our President, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, held a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The meeting addressed bilateral relations between Turkey and Russia, as well as regional and global issues.

During the meeting, President Erdoğan stated that cooperation between Turkey and Russia is of key importance in resolving regional issues, that Turkey is closely following the process initiated to end the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, and that Turkey is ready to provide all kinds of support, including hosting peace negotiations, to ensure a dignified and lasting peace.

President Erdoğan noted that good-faith steps to be taken for the safety of commercial navigation in the Black Sea would contribute to the peace process, and that Turkey continues to do its part to ensure the Black Sea does not turn into a conflict zone.

During the meeting, President Erdoğan expressed that Turkey attaches importance to cooperation with Russia on the issue of Syria, that it is crucial for Turkey and Russia to work together for Syria to achieve lasting peace and stability based on its territorial integrity, and that Turkey and Russia could work together to eliminate efforts that fuel ethnic and sectarian discrimination aimed at undermining Syria's unity and to ensure the complete lifting of sanctions against Syria.

President Erdoğan stated that Syria's resources should be left to the Syrian administration, that Turkey supports the integration of the so-called 'Syrian Democratic Forces' into the central administration, and that it is of vital importance for Syria's stability that the country be completely removed from being a favorable area for terrorist organizations from now on.''