Moscow assesses relations with Türkiye

Bilateral ties between Moscow and Ankara have not been disrupted by the escalation in Syria, Russia’s deputy FM says

The ongoing escalation in Syria has not affected bilateral ties between Moscow and Ankara, Russian Deputy FM Aleksandr Grushko has said.

Grushko made the remarks on Thursday while speaking to Russian media. Asked whether the ties between Türkiye and Russia had deteriorated amid the escalation in Syria, the senior diplomat said this was not the case.

“Bilateral relations are not disrupted, as you know, we are conducting a dialogue with Türkiye on all issues,” he said.

The deputy FM invoked a meeting between the top diplomats of Türkiye, Iran, and Russia held on Saturday in Doha, Qatar, as an example of continuing contacts.

“There is an agenda that includes Türkiye, and we will continue to discuss all regional issues with them,” Grushko added.

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The situation in Syria has rapidly deteriorated over the past two weeks, with assorted militants led by the Hayat Tahrir-al-Sham (HTS) jihadist group launching an offensive against the country’s troops. The lightning rebel advance resulted in the collapse of the Syrian military and the fall of its government. Now-former Syrian President Bashar Assad fled the country, finding refuge in Russia.

Moscow maintains a military presence in Syria with its forces concentrated at Khmeimim Air Base and a logistics support point in Tartus, in the western part of the country along the Mediterranean coast. While the future of these installations remains unclear, sources told Russian media that the militant forces had pledged to respect them and the country’s diplomatic missions within Syria.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov touched on the issue on Wednesday, confirming Moscow has been in touch with the forces that had overtaken Syria.

“Of course, we cannot avoid contacting those who control the situation on the ground because we have our facilities and our people there first and foremost,” Peskov stated.