Russia calls potential new Turkish military operations in Syria “unacceptable”

Russia has deemed the possibility of Türkiye conducting new military operations in Syria “unacceptable” and urged Ankara to refrain from such actions.

Alexander Lavrentiev, Russia’s Special Representative for the Syrian Settlement, made the statement at a press conference following the 22nd international meeting on Syria in the Astana format, according to Russia’s state-run news agency Tass.

“We do not accept the idea of new operations by Türkiye in Syria. We have repeatedly stated this,” Lavrentiev said.

He emphasized that Russia hopes Türkiye will avoid such steps, as they could have negative consequences for the region.

Lavrentiev argued that Turkish military actions would not resolve the ongoing issues in Syria but would only exacerbate the situation, contributing to further instability in an already volatile region.

He specifically pointed to the unresolved crisis along the Lebanese-Israeli border and the ongoing conflict in Gaza, claiming that any new military operations could destabilize the region even further.

Earlier, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said during his speech at the November 10th commemoration ceremony for Ataturk in Ankara, “In the coming period, we will complete the missing links of the safe zone we have created along our borders,” signaling Türkiye’s plans for a new cross-border operation in Syria.