Erdoğan, Putin discuss Aleppo in phone call


President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin discussed the humanitarian crisis in Aleppo in a phone call late Sunday.In the call, both leaders discussed bringing Assad regime, moderate opposition to the table during Astana talks.Russian President conveyed condolences to Erdoğan for the terror attack in Kayseri which left 14 dead.Putin and Erdoğan agreed Friday on peace talks to be held between Syrian moderate opposition representatives and the Assad regime in the Kazakh capital.

Speaking at a news conference during a visit to Japan, Putin said that Astana talks will be held in addition to the UN-brokered Geneva talks.He noted that Ankara had helped broker the rebel exit from Aleppo that is currently underway.

He also said that he and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan are also working for an overall truce in Syria.

It wasn't immediately clear if western-backed Syrian opposition would accept such a location for peace talks with the Assad regime.An agreement for the imminent evacuation of civilians and opposition fighters from east Aleppo in Syria was reached on Tuesday after mediation efforts from Turkey.