Support The Moscow Times!

Turkey, Syria, Russia Defense Ministers Meet for First Talks Since 2011

Russia's Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu Sergei Savostyanov / TASS

The defense ministers of Russia, Turkey and Syria met in Moscow on Wednesday, the first such talks since the civil war broke out in Syria, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

Russia and Turkey are involved in Syria, with Moscow supporting the Damascus regime against its opponents and Ankara backing the rebels.

The meeting came following repeated threats by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to launch a military offensive in northern Syria against Kurdish groups.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and his Turkish and Syrian counterparts, Hulusi Akar and Ali Mahmoud Abbas, discussed "ways to resolve the Syrian crisis, the problem of refugees, and joint efforts to combat extremist groups in Syria," the Russian Defense Ministry said.

The sides "noted the constructive nature of the dialog held in this format and the need to continue it in the interests of further stabilizing the situation" in Syria and the region, according to the Defense Ministry in Moscow.

The Turkish Defense Ministry struck a similar note, saying the meeting was held in a "constructive atmosphere."

"At the meeting, the Syrian crisis, the refugee problem and joint efforts to combat all terrorist organizations in Syria were discussed," the ministry said in a statement. 

On Saturday, Akar told reporters that Turkey was in talks with Russia about using Syrian airspace in a possible operation against the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia.

"We are holding discussions with the Russians about the opening of the airspace," he said.

The Turkish and Syrian foreign ministers had a brief informal exchange on the sidelines of a regional summit in 2021 and Ankara has acknowledged contact between their respective intelligence services.

In November, Erdogan said a meeting with Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad was a possibility, after cutting diplomatic ties with Damascus throughout the 11-year conflict.

In mid-December, he indicated that he could meet with Assad after the two countries' defense and foreign ministers meet.

"We want to take a step as Syria, Turkey and Russia," he said at the time.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more