ANKARA: On Friday in the beachside town of Sochi, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin are expected to meet.

Among other regional issues, the anticipated military action by Turkey against a Kurdish militia in northern Syria will be the main topic of discussion, the state television of Ankara, TRT, said.

Moscow had recently advised against such an offensive.

Ankara considers the US-supported Syrian Kurdish militia the People's Defence Units (YPG) a terrorist group and suspects it is linked to domestic insurgents. After two ceasefire agreements were mediated by the US and Russia in 2019, a Turkish offensive in northern Syria was put on hold.

According to TRT, the two presidents will also talk about the conflict in Ukraine and a grain corridor agreement.
The agreement between Kiev and Moscow to resume grain exports from three Ukrainian ports was recently mediated by Turkey and the UN.

The Kremlin said that the potential sale of unmanned war drones from NATO member Turkey to Russia is also on the agenda. 

Erdogan declared he would not rule out military transactions with Russia shortly after the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine got underway. With its close links to both Russia and Ukraine, Turkey acts as a go-between for the two neighbours.

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