Ankara: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held a phone call with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Friday, during which they discussed bilateral relations, recent developments in Syria, particularly Israel’s violations of Syrian sovereignty, and prospects for resuming negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the two leaders exchanged views on key regional and international issues during the call.

Erdogan expressed concern over the recent clashes in Syria’s southern Suwayda Province following the withdrawal of security forces, warning that the situation poses a serious threat to regional stability.

The Turkish president also condemned Israel’s continued violations of Syrian sovereignty, affirming that Turkey aims to ensure Syria’s stability and security and to contribute to the country’s recovery as soon as possible.

Suwayda witnessed deadly clashes last Sunday between Bedouin and Druze groups, prompting intervention by the Syrian army and security forces to restore order. In parallel, Israel intensified its airstrikes under the pretext of “protecting the Druze community,” targeting four Syrian provinces, including the capital Damascus, where strikes hit the General Staff Headquarters and the vicinity of the Presidential Palace.

Separately, Erdogan underscored the importance of launching a third round of negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, reaffirming Turkey’s readiness to host the talks in Istanbul once the parties agree on a suitable date.

It is worth noting that Istanbul hosted the second round of talks on June 2, following a first round held on May 16. Those negotiations led to agreements on the repatriation of around 6,000 frozen Ukrainian soldiers’ remains, and the exchange of severely ill prisoners and detainees under the age of 25.