In the bumpy Turkish-Russian relationship in Syria, crisis situations have produced a pattern of face-to-face meetings between the two countries’ presidents, with Ankara typically ending up as a giver and Moscow as a taker. The latest summit between the two leaders, prompted by the escalation in Idlib, came as another confirmation of that pattern.

Tensions in the rebel-held province shot up Aug. 19 after a Syrian fighter jet struck a pickup of the Faylaq al-Sham group escorting a Turkish military convoy, which, according to Ankara, was taking reinforcements to the Turkish observation post at Morek in the southernmost corner of Idlib. The situation grew into a crisis between Ankara and Moscow as Syrian forces encircled the Morek base, where about 200 Turkish soldiers are stationed, while marching into the key town of Khan Sheikhoun. 

Amid the momentous developments on the ground that day, Moscow was reluctant to communicate with Ankara and President Vladimir Putin was unresponsive to a request for a phone call with his counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkish sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Al-Monitor. In subsequent contacts, the Kremlin said Putin would be available to meet with Erdogan on Aug. 27 at the MAKS-2019 International Aviation and Space Salon in Zhukovsky near Moscow. That is how Erdogan headed to Russia for another emergency meeting with Putin.

At the press conference after the roughly 1½-hour meeting, Putin said the two leaders had agreed to stamp out “terrorist hotbeds” in Idlib. It is worth noting, however, that 2½ years since the launch of the Astana track between Russia, Turkey and Iran, Ankara and Moscow remain at odds in their definitions of “terrorist” groups in northwest Syria.