Kremlin reveals content of call between Erdogan and Putin

MOSCOW – The Kremlin revealed on Wednesday the content of the telephone conversation between the Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan over the situation in Idlib Governorate in Syria.

“The two presidents discussed various aspects of the Syrian settlement, including the aggravation of the situation in the area of reducing the escalation in Idlib, in northwest Syria,” read a statement from the Kremlin. The statement added that during the call, reference was made to the importance of the full implementation of the current Russian-Turkish agreements, including the Sochi memorandum.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation also rejected the claim of President Erdogan that the Syrian regime which is supported by Russian and Iranian militias are targeting civilians constantly in Idlib and committing massacres and shedding their own blood.”

Russia objected to Erdogan’s statement that his army will strike Syrian forces by air or by land in any place in Syria, in case another Turkish soldier was harmed.

The Turkish Minister of Defense Hulusi Acar demanded that the U.S. and NATO make concrete contributions regarding the recent developments in Idlib.

The call between Presidents Putin and Erdogan comes after the failure of the Russian-Turkish talks on Idlib for the second time amid a major escalation between the Syrian Arab Army and Turkey and the opposition forces it is supporting in Syria.