Donald Trump
US President Donald Trump, in an interview with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said that Russia should not support the actions of the Syrian government forces in Idlib. This was announced by the representative of the White House Judd Deere, reports The Hill.
It is noted that Trump in a conversation expressed concern about the violence taking place in northern Syria. The American leader also thanked Erdogan for his efforts to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe.
“Trump has expressed the desire of the United States to end Russia's support for the atrocities of [Syrian President Bashar] Assad's regime,” Deer said. He added that the US leader also spoke in favor of a political settlement of the situation.
It is noted that the conversation took place on February 15.
In January, the Syrian army, despite the ceasefire initiated by Russia and Turkey, stepped up actions against militants in Idlib. The last groups of the armed opposition and those whom Damascus considers terrorists are concentrated there. As a result of the offensive, government forces managed to occupy almost half of the Idlib de-escalation zone.
In February, the positions of the Turkish army were subjected to several attacks, which in total lost 12 soldiers and one civilian specialist. In response, more than a hundred targets were hit, and two Syrian helicopters were shot down by the militants in the skies over Idlib. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that in case of new aggression against Turkish troops, Ankara will begin full-scale bombing of the Syrian forces, and threatened to destroy any aircraft in the skies over the province.
