Lavrov announces trilateral foreign ministers' meeting on Syria

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has announced a meeting with his counterparts from Ankara and Damascus to discuss Syria.

"Türkiye, as you know, is in favour of normalizing relations with Damascus," Lavrov told a televised news conference on Wednesday.

Russia had been asked to mediate between the two neighbours, he said. Therefore, a meeting of foreign ministers was now being set up, Lavrov said.

Relations between Ankara and Damascus are considered strained.

"One of the biggest problems is Idlib," Lavrov said. Türkiye, he said, must separate the pro-Turkish forces there from the Nusra Front, which Moscow and Damascus classify as terrorists.

Joint Turkish-Russian patrols along the main highway to Aleppo have also not worked so far, Lavrov said.