Turkish, Syrian Defense Ministers Held Breakthrough Meeting In Russia

The defense ministers of Turkey and Syria have held direct talks for the first time in more than decade in Moscow as a part of a meeting that was also attended by the Russian defense minister.

In a statement released on December 28, the Russian Ministry of Defense said that the breakthrough trilateral talks have ended.

“Trilateral talks between the defense ministers of the Russian Federation, the Syrian Arab Republic and the Republic of Turkey were held in Moscow. They focused on solutions to the Syria crisis, the refugee issue, and joint efforts to battle extremist groups on Syrian territory,” the statement reads.

The ministry pointed out that following the meeting, the sides hailed the constructive nature of the dialogue in this format and the need to keep at it in order to stabilize the situation in Syria as well as in the region.

Ankara broke ties with Damascus early on in the Syrian war. Today, it is the main backer of Syrian rebels and its military occupies vast parts of the country’s northern region.

The meeting between the Turkish and Syrian defense ministers in Moscow came following a series of talks between senior intelligence officials from the two countries. The talks were also sponsored by Russia, who appears to be eager to restore relations between Ankara and Damascus.

Speaking to journalists in mid-December, Erdogan revealed a plan to normalize Turkey’s ties with the Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad. The president voiced his readiness to meet with al-Assad, but only after initial meetings between intelligence officers, then defense and foreign ministers of the two countries. The plan was praised by Moscow, who has put it into action with the defense ministers meeting.

It’s worth noting that Turkey is currently conducting an air operation against Kurdish factions in northern Syria, which are backed by the United States.

A rapprochement with Syria can help Ankara address many of its security concerns and find a real solution for the refugee crisis. Damascus could also benefit politically and economically from such a move. The main losers will be Kurdish factions led by the Syrian Democratic Forces and terrorist groups like al-Qaeda-affiliated Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham.

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