Authorities in Turkey and Syria have expressed a strong interest in restarting dialogue, and Russia is prepared to actively support this renewed engagement, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in an interview with Turkish newspaper Hürriyet.
Lavrov noted that prior disagreements between Damascus and Ankara had caused a pause in discussions.
“The Syrian government insists that a clear plan for the withdrawal of Turkish military forces from Syrian territory should be established first. Meanwhile, Turkey affirms its commitment to Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity but suggests revisiting the military withdrawal issue later. Since both capitals are showing serious interest in renewing dialogue, we will actively work to facilitate a prompt restart of the negotiation process,” Lavrov stated.
He emphasized that normalizing Syrian-Turkish relations is crucial for stabilizing Syria and enhancing security in the Middle East. Lavrov added that Russia has been making continuous efforts to bridge the gap between Damascus and Ankara, with specific focus areas including the return of Syrian refugees, counter-terrorism, and border security.
The Syrian conflict has persisted since 2011, with the Astana talks—known as the Astana format—underway since 2017. The 21st meeting in this format recently took place, involving Russia, Iran, and Turkey as guarantors of the Syrian peace process, along with Syrian government and opposition representatives, the UN, and observer nations Jordan, Lebanon, and Iraq.
In October, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan expressed optimism for “constructive steps” towards normalizing relations with Syria. He noted that during a meeting in Kazan, he requested Russian President Vladimir Putin's assistance in encouraging Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to respond positively to Turkey's outreach for normalization.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Based on TASS materials