Erdogan calls on Putin to establish 30-kilometer Syrian corridor

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called for the establishment of a 30-kilometer (19-mile) security corridor on the Turkish border with Syria, during a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Anadolu Agency reported.

Erdogan reiterated the “importance and urgency” of establishing the corridor in northern Syria in accordance with the 2019 agreement between Turkey and Russia.

In a statement, the Turkish president stressed “the priority of clearing the Syrian border with Turkey from terrorists at a depth of 30 km in the first phase, according to the Sochi agreement.”

The call came three weeks after Turkey launched air and artillery strikes in Syria and Iraq in retaliation for a bomb attack in Istanbul on November 13 that killed six people and wounded dozens.

The two leaders also discussed the grain agreement. President Erdogan stated during the call that it is possible to prepare for the gradual export of foodstuffs and other commodities within the framework of the grain corridor.

President Erdogan indicated that more than 13 million tons of grain have been delivered to the needy to date through joint efforts within the framework of the agreement.

President Erdogan also expressed his sincere wishes for an end to the war between Russia and Ukraine as soon as possible.