NATO is considering a proposal to deploy international forces in northern Syria .. And Erdogan: "spring of peace" has achieved its objectives

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that the operation of the "spring of peace" in northern Syria has achieved its objectives. Erdogan added that if the YPG does not withdraw from the safe area, the Turkish army will resume operations there, while NATO defense ministers are considering a German proposal to deploy international forces in northern Syria.

President Erdogan said in a speech in Ankara today that he had agreed with Russian President Vladimir Putin to conduct joint Turkish-Russian patrols along the safe area, except in the city of Qamishli northwest of Syria.

In response to European criticism of the peace process, the Turkish president said that when the time comes his country will open its borders to migrants to go to Europe, Erdogan said: "We smile with regret over those responsible for the deaths of 50 million people in World War II trying to teach us a lesson in humanity."

Sequence of events
The Turkish army, in cooperation with factions of the Syrian armed opposition, launched a military operation under the name of "spring of peace" on the ninth of this month to expel the Syrian Democratic Forces from the east of the Euphrates region to ensure the security of Turkey and pave the way for the establishment of a safe area, encouraging Syrian refugees in Turkey to return to their homes.

On October 17, Turkey agreed, under an agreement with the United States, to halt its offensive for five days to allow Kurdish militants to withdraw from the planned Safe Zone border.

In another shift, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin agreed yesterday that troops from both sides will begin to oversee the removal of YPG fighters with their weapons at least 30 kilometers inside Syria's depth.

Mazloum Abdi
In a related context, a Turkish presidential official criticized the US treatment of the commander of the SDF as a "legitimate political figure."

US senators have urged the State Department to expedite the issuance of a visa to Mazloum Abdi, commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces, so he can visit the United States to discuss the situation in Syria.

"We are very concerned about his treatment," said Turkish presidential communications director Fakhruddin Altun.

NATO meeting
On the other hand, a meeting of NATO defense ministers began in Brussels, and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg briefed on the meeting, which will discuss a German proposal to establish a safe area under international control in northeast Syria.

Washington has backed the German proposal, while Moscow has rejected it. The proposal is also at odds within NATO member states, making it less likely to pass.

The commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces expressed support for the German proposal to deploy international forces to establish a safe area, adding in press statements in the city of Qamishli that the proposal is a new initiative under discussion between France, Germany and Britain.

In a related context, US Defense Secretary Mark Esper said that his country's partnership with Turkey should be strengthened instead of bringing Ankara closer to Russia.

At a seminar in Brussels, Esber criticized the Turkish incursion into northern Syria as a "step in the wrong direction" and said the United States had avoided a clash with a NATO ally.