President Erdoğan holds phone call with Russia's Putin

ANKARA

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held a phone call with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Aug. 10.

The two leaders exchanged views on bilateral and regional issues, presidential sources said on condition of anonymity.

Erdoğan and Putin expressed contentment regarding the bilateral economic and trade relations between Turkey and Russia, along with the continuation of cooperation on defense and energy, according to the sources. They also discussed recent developments in Syria and the Astana process.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will pay a visit to the Turkish capital Ankara on Aug. 13 and 14 where he will hold talks with Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu on recent developments in Syria and other regional issues.

Turkey is concerned about the Syrian regime’s preparations for a massive assault into rebel-held northwestern province of Idlib, a territory designated as a de-escalation zone by Turkey, Russia and Iran. The province is the largest chunk of territory still in rebel hands, and President Bashar al-Assad has warned it would be his military’s next priority.

Erdoğan had already urged Putin in a meeting in South Africa last month to stop a potential military operation by Damascus into the region where the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) built 12 observation posts, as part of a three-way deal with guarantor countries Russia and Iran.