Putin Cautions Erdogan on Syria Incursion as Turkey Sends Troops

(Bloomberg) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin cautioned Recep Tayyip Erdogan against undermining peace efforts as the Turkish military began an incursion across the border into Syria against Kurdish forces.

“In the light of Turkey’s announced plans to carry out a military operation in the northeast of Syria, Vladimir Putin urged our Turkish partners to carefully weigh the situation so as not to damage our joint efforts to resolve the Syrian crisis,” the Kremlin said in an emailed statement on a call between the two leaders Wednesday.

The presidents stressed “the importance of guaranteeing the unity and territorial integrity of Syria and respect for its sovereignty,” the Kremlin statement said.

The first Turkish troops crossed Wednesday into northeast Syria in preparation for a full-scale offensive to force back Kurdish militias controlling the border area, a Turkish official said, days after President Donald Trump said the U.S. wouldn’t stand in the way.

To contact the reporter on this story: Henry Meyer in Moscow at hmeyer4@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Gregory L. White at gwhite64@bloomberg.net, Torrey Clark

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