The Russian and Turkish chiefs of staff have discussed finding a solution to the Syrian conflict in Moscow, including normalizing the situation in Aleppo, while also discussing the ongoing operation to liberate Iraq’s Mosul from jihadists, the Russian Defense Ministry said.
Turkish Chief of General Staff Gen. Hulusi Akar and his Russian counterpart, Valery Gerasimov, held talks on Tuesday over military cooperation and regional issues regarding Syria and Iraq.
"The question of settling the Syrian conflict, including the normalization of the situation in Aleppo, was discussed during this meeting" the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement on Nov. 1, adding that it was an "open" to an exchange of views.
Russia has been militarily backing its ally Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, while Turkey has been a supporter of the Syrian opposition seeking to oust the Syrian government rule.
The Iraqi army’s offensive to take back Mosul from the Islamic State (IS) was one of the issues discussed by the army chiefs in Moscow, the statement also said.
Gerasimov also informed the Turkish military leader of Russian efforts to "help the humanitarian situation in Aleppo" it added.
Russia has now ceased air strikes on eastern Aleppo for 16 days, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Tuesday.
Shoigu also accused the U.S.-led coalition in Syria of failing to rein in hardline rebels, saying the chance of a political settlement was "remote."