The Kremlin said on Tuesday Russia was hoping to minimize the risk of a direct clash with Turkey in Syria even though soldiers from both countries were in close proximity in Idlib on different sides of a live conflict, Reuters reported.
Moscow was commenting a day after Syrian government forces with Russia’s help entered parts of a strategic rebel-held town called Saraqeb. The Russian Defense Ministry said Russian military police had also entered Saraqeb.
“We hope that we’re able to absolutely minimize this risk [of direct confrontation with Turkey] thanks to the close contact between the two countries’ militaries,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters when asked about the risk of a clash.
President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, are due to hold talks on Syria in Moscow on Thursday.
Separately, Peskov said discussions were ongoing about a possible summit on Syria between the leaders of Russia, Iran and Turkey.
