Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar and his Russian counterpart, Sergei Shoigu, held talks over the phone on a number of bilateral issues, including the latest developments in the Syrian file.
The Turkish Ministry of Defense said in a statement that Akar touched on the situation in northern Syria, noting that “Turkey’s only goal is to ensure the security of its borders and citizens, and to combat terrorism in order not to cause more human tragedies.”
According to the statement, Akar also indicated that the talks, which were launched under the auspices of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, “will contribute significantly to the path of peace and stability in the region and Syria,” stressing the great importance of their continuation.
On December 28, the Russian capital, Moscow, hosted a meeting that included Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, intelligence chief Hakan Fidan, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Lavrov, regime Defense Minister Ali Mahmoud Abbas, and the heads of Russian and regime intelligence.
It was agreed to hold a meeting at the level of foreign ministers and then at the level of presidents, but the meeting of Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu and Faisal al-Miqdad has not yet been set, amid reports that the two parties have not reached an agreement on it.
