Erdoğan says he could meet with Bashar al-Assad as part of peace efforts

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Thursday he may meet Syrian regime leader Bashar al-Assad as part of peace efforts after the highest-level talks in public between Ankara and Damascus since the Syrian war began in 2011.

In a speech in Ankara, Erdoğan said a trilateral meeting of the foreign ministers from Türkiye, Russia and Syria would first be held to further develop contacts after landmark talks between defence ministers in Moscow last week.

"Depending on the developments, we may come together as the Russian, Turkish, and Syrian leaders. So, our aim is to establish peace and stability in the region," Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said, addressing his Justice and Development (AK) Party's extended provincial heads meeting in the capital Ankara.

Turkish, Russian, and Syrian defense ministers and intelligence chiefs came together in Moscow, he said, adding that "hopefully, the foreign ministers will come together in a trilateral format."

On Dec. 28, the Turkish, Russian, and Syrian defense ministers met in Moscow to discuss counterterrorism efforts in Syria, and they agreed to continue tripartite meetings to ensure stability in Syria and in the wider region.

The meeting tackled the Syria crisis, the refugee issue, and joint counter-terrorism efforts against all terror groups in Syria.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said a second meeting could take place in mid-January.