Erdogan: Putin may 'give up' on supporting Assad

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said yesterday that Russian President Vladimir Putin might “give up” on supporting Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria, AFP reported.

“Putin’s current attitude towards Syria is more encouraging than before,” Erdogan told a group of journalists on his presidential jet as he returned from a trip to Asia.

According to the Turkish newspaper Daily Sabah, Erdogan added: “He is no longer of the opinion that Russia will support Assad to the end. I believe he can give up Assad.”

Putin and Erdogan last met in Baku on 13 June during talks on the sidelines of the European Games that were held in the Azerbaijani capital.