Russia urges Turkey to refrain from provocative statements on Syrian crisis

Russian foreign ministry has said that Turkey should refrain from provocative statements about the crisis in Northeastern Syria amid escalating tensions over Idlib. According to international reports, Russia had said that it was “perplexed” by the remarks made by the chairman of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. According to the same statement, Erdogan's nationalist partner had tried to hold Russia along with Syrian government accountable for the death of Turkish men. 

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While Russian foreign ministry had reportedly made those statements earlier this week on February 13, in a recent address in Istanbul, Erdogan said on February 15 that Turkey has “no intention to invade or annex the Syrian territory”. Turkish President acknowledged the problem in Northeastern Syria's Idlib which is the strong-hold of rebels. According to media reports, he added that the problem would not be resolved until the government forces are drawn to limits which are set by Sochi deal. Otherwise, according to the Turkish President, his country's forces will “handle it before the end of February”.

Russia urges 'implementation' of existing accords

While Turkey raised the importance of the existing Sochi memorandum on Saturday, Kremlin had urged  Ankara on February 12 to implement the peace agreements. After a phone call between both leaders, Kremlin reportedly released a statement that Russia and Turkey 'noted the importance of full implementation' of the existing accords including the Sochi memorandum. Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart reportedly discussed the de-escalation of the crisis in Syria. 

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The leaders have also reviewed the different aspects of the settlement of the Syrian crisis especially in the context of the recent escalation in the Idlib de-escalation zone. It was in 2018 when both countries had agreed on a memorandum in order to enforce a demilitarized zone in Syria's Idlib region from which the 'radical' forces were asked to withdraw. However, Russia has insisted that groups of 'terrorists' have continued to fight in the same region. 

Erdogan had also said on February 11 that the Syrian government 'would pay a high price', before Turkey-backed Syrian rebels downed a helicopter belonging to the Syrian government in Idlib's Saraqib. On February 10, five Turkish soldiers were killed by the Syrian Army promising a harsh retaliation. Furthermore, a Turkish official told an international agency that the forces loyal to the Syrian government had fired near Turkey's observation posts in Idlib.
  
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(With inputs from agencies)