The leaders also discussed the need to avoid possible conflicts between the Turkish and Syrian military, according to the statement.
Russian President Vladimir Putin (Photo: AFP)
Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke to his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan over the phone and invited the Turkish leader to visit Russia soon, the Kremlin said on Tuesday.
Putin invited Erdogan “for a working visit in the coming days”. “The invitation was accepted,” Putin’s office said in a statement late Tuesday.
A statement further said that the two leaders emphasised “the need to prevent confrontations between units of the Turkish army and Syrian armed forces”.
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The call was initiated by Turkey, the Kremlin said.
The leaders also discussed the need to avoid possible conflicts between the Turkish and Syrian military, according to the statement.
President Putin also raised concerns on the call about “terrorists attempting to break free and infiltrate neighbouring countries” amid Ankara’s offensive against Kurdish-held areas of northern Syria.
Last week, Turkey launched a cross-border assault on Kurdish fighters after the US decided to withdraw troops from Syria, a move that was criticised by the Republicans, with some terming it a “betrayal” of the Kurds.
Earlier on Monday, the Syrian army entered the city of Tabqa in the northern countryside of Raqqa province, as part of its move to enter Kurdish-held areas to counter the ongoing Turkish assault in the region.
More than 50 people, including civilians, have been killed last week as the Turkish offensive in Syria, which was launched by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan aimed at pushing the Kurdish forces away from its border.
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