Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Turkish counterpart Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu held a phone conversation to discuss the situation in Syria, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry.
During the conversation, the two ministers exchanged their views on the development of the situation in and around Syria. They reaffirmed the necessity of unconditionally respecting the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of the Arab Republic of Syria.
Furthermore, the ministers emphasized the importance of coordinating the efforts of all external actors capable of contributing to a comprehensive solution to the situation in Syria, based on the guarantee of the legitimate rights of all Syrian citizens, regardless of their political views and ethnic or religious affiliation, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
The conversation also touched on a range of bilateral agenda items.
The ministers agreed to maintain close contact on the issue of Syria and other current regional and international topics.
Separately, the Russian side expressed its condolences in connection with the tragic events in a ski resort in the province of Bolu, where a large number of people lost their lives or were injured.
In late November 2024, armed opposition Islamist groups launched a large-scale offensive against the Syrian army’s positions. On December 8, they broke into Damascus, Bashar al-Assad stepped down as President of Syria and left the country. On December 10, Muhammad al-Bashir, who had led the so-called “Government of Salvation of Syria”in the province of Idlib, announced his appointment as the head of the Syrian interim government, which is expected to last until March 1, 2025.