Moscow and Ankara are concerned over increased fighting in Syria's northwestern province of Idlib and are ready to take steps to ease tensions, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday.
"The situation in the Idlib de-escalation zone is of serious concern to us and our Turkish partners," Putin said at a joint press conference with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan after talks near Moscow.
Putin said the two leaders had agreed "additional joint steps" to "normalise" the situation in Idlib, but did not provide details.
RUSSIA, TURKEY AGREE ON ADDITIONAL STEPS IN IDLIB
Putin said on Tuesday that he and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdoğan have outlined additional joint measures aimed at rooting out "terrorists" in Syria's Idlib area.
"Together with Turkey's president we have outlined additional joint steps to neutralise the terrorists' nests in Idlib and normalisation of the situation there and in the whole of Syria as a result," Putin told a joint briefing with Erdoğan.
Putin, speaking after talks with Erdoğan, also said he and the Turkish leader had underlined that Syria should remain a unified country.
