Putin-Erdogan summit in Russia to try to calm the game in Syria

Between Moscow and Ankara, dialogue is difficult on the situation in Syria. Here, during a meeting in Sochi in October 2019. Alexey DRUZHININ / SPUTNIK / AFP

Text by: RFI Follow

Dismiss the threat of a direct conflict between Russia and Turkey, and if possible reach a cease-fire in the province of Idleb: such is the double stake of the meeting on Thursday March 5 in Moscow between Vladimir Poutine and Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The meeting comes in a highly volatile context of the Turkish military intervention in Syria and the discussions promise to be "difficult".

Publicity

Read more

With our correspondent in Moscow, Daniel Vallot

The equation that the two men will have to solve is far from obvious . On the one hand, there is Turkey which wants to stop the Syrian advance in the province of Idleb , and which considers itself humiliated by the death of its soldiers at the end of February . On the other hand is Russia, which has no intention of dropping its ally Bashar al-Assad.

The first objective will first be to avoid a direct confrontation between the Turkish forces and Russia . Because the risk exists, for example if a Russian fighter plane is shot down over the province of Idleb. However, it seems obvious that every effort will be made to remove it.

The other goal, posted by Recep Tayyip Erdogan, is to achieve a ceasefire. The Turkish leader wants Vladimir Putin to demand and obtain from Bashar al-Assad an end to the Idleb offensive. A cease-fire is obviously conceivable, but for the situation to really calm down, it would be necessary to reactivate the Sochi agreements, negotiated in the fall of 2018, and that looks much more difficult.

It will also discuss a Turkish proposal: the establishment of a security zone in the north of the province, which would be placed under the control of the Turkish army with possibly joint patrols. This would accommodate the displaced . Is an agreement possible on this point between Moscow and Ankara? We may find out later today.

Newsletter With the Daily Newsletter, find the headlines directly in your mailbox

subscribe

Download the app

google-play-badge_FR

  • Syria
  • Turkey
  • Russia
  • Bashar al-Assad
  • Vladimir Poutine
  • Recep Tayyip Erdogan

On the same subject

Syria: after Ankara's response, escalating tensions worry

Great report

Raqqa, the ghosts of Daesh

Mid-day guest

Humanitarian crisis in Idleb: "hospitals are deliberately targeted"