Fidan explained that Turkey supports the Syrian government's efforts to unify all armed groups under the umbrella of a national army and a single central command. He pointed to the importance of all parties using their influence to implement the understanding (between the Damascus government and the terrorist PKK organization) reached on March 10.
The Turkish Foreign Minister emphasized that the Syrian government, despite "media disinformation campaigns," has received significant support from the Syrian people and the international community. He noted that Damascus's capabilities and potential to combat terrorism and organized crime are growing daily.
Fidan stated that the decisions of the United States and the European Union to lift sanctions on Syria constitute a crucial step, adding in particular that Türkiye, under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has intensified its diplomatic efforts to lift sanctions on Syria.
Regarding the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Fidan expressed his hope that negotiations between the two sides would develop into a lasting peace in the coming period, stressing that Turkey is always ready to provide all forms of support on this path.
Regarding the Palestinian issue, Fidan said : "The genocide in Gaza must stop, otherwise it will be impossible to prevent chaos that could also engulf Israel." He added: "Stability in the region cannot be achieved without a ceasefire in Gaza and an end to the escalation in the West Bank, and we stress the need to put an end to the humanitarian catastrophe in the Strip."
"All this blood, tears, and suffering (in Gaza) cannot go unpunished. It must stop immediately, and humanity and the international community must do everything in their power to restore the credibility lost in this test," Fidan continued, adding, "We will continue to work with Russia in this regard."
For his part, Lavrov expressed his appreciation for Turkey's efforts in the talks aimed at achieving peace between Russia and Ukraine.
Regarding the war in Ukraine, Lavrov said, "We can turn again to our Turkish friends to hold a second round of talks with Ukraine."
Lavrov emphasized that "the success of peace negotiations with Ukraine depends on identifying and eliminating the root causes of the crisis," adding that Russia supports the implementation of the Black Sea agreements reached over the past three years.
He added that Russia shares Turkey's views on the Palestinian issue, and that what is happening in Gaza and the West Bank is unacceptable.
Regarding Turkish-Russian relations, Lavrov welcomed the development of cooperation between the two countries in the energy sector, noting that "dialogue between Russia and Turkey is ongoing, and our relations are at a good level."
Since February 24, 2022, Russia has launched a military attack on its neighbor, Ukraine, and has stipulated that any end to the offensive be conditioned on Kyiv abandoning its membership in Western military entities. Kyiv considers this to be "interference" in its affairs.
With full American support, Israel has been committing genocide in Gaza since October 7, 2023, leaving approximately 177,000 Palestinians dead or wounded, most of them children and women, and more than 11,000 missing, in addition to hundreds of thousands displaced.
