Putin, Erdogan and Rouhani fail to agree on Syria

The presidents of Russia, Turkey and Iran, Vladimir Putin, Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Hassan Rouhani, failed to agree on a military operation against militants who have taken control of a key region of Syria at today's meeting, due to ongoing divisions over Ankara's demands for a security zone within the Middle Eastern country.

The meeting was called at Putin's invitation to discuss ways to "completely destroy the terrorist breeding ground" in the Idlib region, but the joint statement only mentioned the need for "concrete steps" to restore the September ceasefire, which was violated after militants regained control of the Idlib region in January.

These steps do not include military action, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

Erdogan said he had "conveyed expectations" to Putin and Rouhani that Syrian government forces should "respect the ceasefire" agreed in September, and that Russia and Iran should support Turkey's demand for a buffer zone in northern Syria "to counter Kurdish fighters in the region.".

Putin and Rouhani, instead, emphasized the need for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government to control the territory.

The meeting in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi was the first encounter between the three leaders since US President Donald Trump announced in December that he would withdraw about 2,000 US troops from Syria.

This move would change the balance of power on the ground and fuel tensions between Ankara and Moscow over control of the region once US forces leave.

The US withdrawal represents "the biggest challenges ahead of us," Erdogan told Putin at an earlier bilateral meeting.

"Syria's territorial integrity cannot be preserved if the YPG / PYD is not cleared from Manbij and east of the Euphrates," the Turkish president said, referring to Kurdish fighters near Syria's border with Turkey.

Trump renewed his promise last week even as domestic critics urged him to avoid a "hasty withdrawal" that could endanger Kurdish allies fighting the Islamic State in Syria.

Russia, Turkey and Iran, which have forces in Syria, are waiting to see if this commitment will be fulfilled.

US General Joseph Votel, who commands US forces in the Middle East, said on February 10 that the withdrawal of units would likely begin in the coming weeks.

Ankara considers Kurdish fighters to be linked to separatists in its territory. Although Turkey intends to secure Syria's border areas, Russia's position is that the Syrian army should do so.  

Rouhani also shares Russia's stance, although he states that he understands Turkey's concerns.