Erdogan Seeks to Hold a Summit with Putin, Assad

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (DPA)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (DPA)
TT

Erdogan Seeks to Hold a Summit with Putin, Assad

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (DPA)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (DPA)

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan revealed that Russian President Vladimir Putin had welcomed his call to hold a tripartite meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Addressing journalists on his return from Turkmenistan, where he participated in the first tripartite meeting of the presidents of Türkiye, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, Erdogan said: “I offered Putin a tripartite meeting between the presidents of Türkiye, Russia and Syria…”

“First our intelligence agencies, then defense ministers, and then foreign ministers (of the three countries) could meet. After their meetings we as the leaders may come together. I offered it to Mr. Putin and he has a positive view on it,” Erdogan was cited as saying.

In earlier remarks on Tuesday, Erdogan said that he had asked the Russian president to make “joint steps” in northern Syria.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said two days ago that Ankara was ready to work with the Syrian regime and restore relations with it, and that the intelligence services have been maintaining their contacts with it for some time.

He added: “If the regime acts realistically, we are ready to work together on combatting terrorism, the political process, and the return of the Syrians.”

On Thursday, the Turkish forces resumed joint patrols in Syria with their Russian counterparts. A joint patrol was conducted in the countryside of Darbasiyah and Amuda, north of Hasakah.
Meanwhile, five vehicles of the US forces, accompanied by another belonging to Al-Qasd forces, conducted a tour on Wednesday to inspect sites that had been under air and artillery bombardment by the Turkish forces and their loyal factions, during the operation Claw-Sword.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) noted that the Internal Security Forces (Asayish), affiliated with the SDF, have re-positioned within the points and locations that they had abandoned during the Turkish operation.

These points are located opposite the areas of Operation Peace Spring, which are under the control of the Turkish forces and the factions known as the pro-Turkish Syrian National Army, between the towns of Tal Tamr and Abu Rasin, northwest of Al-Hasakah.



UK PM Tells Netanyahu Peace Process ‘Should Lead’ to Palestinian State

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer holds a press conference on the Southport attacks in the Downing Street Briefing Room in London, Britain, 21 January 2025. (EPA)
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer holds a press conference on the Southport attacks in the Downing Street Briefing Room in London, Britain, 21 January 2025. (EPA)
TT

UK PM Tells Netanyahu Peace Process ‘Should Lead’ to Palestinian State

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer holds a press conference on the Southport attacks in the Downing Street Briefing Room in London, Britain, 21 January 2025. (EPA)
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer holds a press conference on the Southport attacks in the Downing Street Briefing Room in London, Britain, 21 January 2025. (EPA)

UK premier Keir Starmer told Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday that any peace process in the Middle East should pave the way for a Palestinian state, Downing Street said.

The two leaders held a call that focused on the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, a UK government spokesperson said.

During the conversation, "both agreed that we must work towards a permanent and peaceful solution that guarantees Israel's security and stability", the British readout of the call added.

"The prime minister added that the UK stands ready to do everything it can to support a political process, which should also lead to a viable and sovereign Palestinian state."

Starmer also "reiterated that it was vital to ensure humanitarian aid can now flow uninterrupted into Gaza, to support the Palestinians who desperately need it", the statement added.

Starmer "offered his personal thanks for the work done by the Israeli government to secure the release of the hostages, including British hostage Emily Damari", the statement added.

"To see the pictures of Emily finally back in her family's arms was a wonderful moment but a reminder of the human cost of the conflict," Starmer added, according to the statement.

A truce agreement between Israel and Hamas to end 15 months of war in Gaza came into effect on Sunday.

The first part of the three-phase deal should last six weeks and see 33 hostages returned from Gaza in exchange for around 1,900 Palestinian prisoners.