Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday said he would hold a summit with the leaders of Russia, France and Germany on March 5 to discuss the situation in Syria’s last rebel enclave of Idlib.
During a televised speech, President Erdogan said, “We will come together on March 5 and discuss these issues,” following a phone call on Friday with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and his teleconference with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
The phone call comes just after Erdogan said earlier in the day that the outcome of his discussion with Putin would “determine” Turkey’s attitude toward the Idlib issue.
Earlier, the Syrian regime and Iranian-backed groups also launched a ground offensive in Aleppo province, a designated de-escalation zone, forcing at least 13,000 more civilians to move toward Turkey’s border.
The war in Libya, where Turkey is sending troops in support of the UN-recognized Government of National Accord, and the conflict in Syria, where Ankara and Moscow are both militarily involved, are also set to dominate the summit as well.
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.
More than 50 people, including civilians, have been killed last year as the Turkish offensive in Syria, which was launched by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan aimed at pushing the Kurdish forces away from its border.