Turkey’s president in Moscow for Syria talks with Putin

MOSCOW (AP) – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has arrived in Moscow for Syria-focused talks with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin as their governments bargain over zones of influence in the war-torn country.

The leaders share strong opposition of U.S. military presence in Syria, seeing it as an obstacle to their clout. They both have called for America’s pullout and welcomed President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw U.S. troops.

But even though Russia and Turkey have teamed up with Iran to broker a peace deal for Syria, their interests often collide as they vie for individual clout.

Russia has urged Turkey to act more resolutely in reining in militants in northern Syria who launch attacks on Syrian government forces and the Russian military.