Russian, Turkish and Syrian defense ministers met in Moscow to discuss the 11-year long Syrian Civil War with Russia seeking reconciliation between Turkey and Syria. Turkey, which backs rebels fighting the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad, seeks to repel Kurdish militant groups located in northern Syria. Syria wants Turkey to return large swaths of Syrian territory seized during military incursions since 2016. Turkey recently threatened a renewed ground war after a bombing in Istanbul which Turkey blames on various Kurdish groups. Russia is opposed to any new offensive in the region. After the talks, a statement was released describing “the constructive nature of the dialogue … and the need to continue it in the interests of further stabilizing the situation.â€
