Photo : Aleksander Lavrentiyev, Nursultan, Kazakhstan, 15 Jun 2022/Ruptly
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Russia's special envoy for Syria Alexander Lavrentiev spoke at a press briefing yesterday (June 15) and said Russia tried to persuade Turkey to seek a peaceful settlement without using force because that could cause an escalation.
"Russia believes that the plans announced by Erdoğan on launching an operation in northern Syria against Kurdish formations are unreasonable," Lavrentiev said in Nur-Sultan during the 18th round of ceasefire negotiations on Syria.
According to Russia's official state news agency TASS, "There is no possibility to turn a blind eye to Ankara's operation in Syria in response to Turkey's position regarding Finland and Sweden joining NATO," said Lavrentiev regarding the negotiations between Russia and Turkey on Turkey's veto on the NATO application of Finland and Sweden.
" We do not give up our allies" Lavrentiev said.
Sweden and Finland formally applied to join NATO on May 18 in a decision spurred by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Turkey has opposed the membership of the two countries, accusing them of tolerating and supporting "terrorists."
CLICK - Erdoğan insists Turkey will not approve Sweden and Finland joining NATO
Erdoğan signaled a new military operation in north Syria to create a "safe zone" along the borderline and targetted the towns of Tell Rifaat and Manbij in Syria's northwestern Aleppo governorate.
CLICK - 'Erdoğan doesn't want to miss opportunity for a new Syria offensive,' says former FM
Turkey currently controls 10 percent of Syrian territory, where about 4.4 million people live.(AEK/TB)
