In 2012, Turkish President Erdogan severed diplomatic ties with Syrian President Assad, accusing him of being a 'murderer.'

The meeting between Russian President Putin and Syrian President Assad, the first since March 2023, aimed at normalizing relations between Turkey and Syria amidst discussions of a potential meeting between Assad and Turkish President Erdogan.

Political figures in Turkey, including Istanbul Mayor Imamoglu, advocate for negotiations with the Syrian regime to address the challenges posed by the presence of 3.1 million Syrian refugees in Turkey.

Since 2022, Syria has demanded Turkey's withdrawal from its territories as a prerequisite for normalization, while Turkey faces pressure to repatriate its 3.2 million Syrian refugees.

A potential photo of Turkish President Erdogan and Syrian President Assad together could significantly impact the Syrian opposition, heavily reliant on Turkish political support, amid waning international attention.

Russian President Putin and Syrian President Assad held discussions in the Kremlin, addressing challenging issues and emphasizing the importance of their meeting in the context of global and regional events.

Russia, a crucial ally to Syrian President Assad along with Iran, has been making efforts to normalize relations, following their last meeting in March 2023 where Putin highlighted Russia's military role in stabilizing Syria.

Vladimir Putin's attempts to normalize relations between Turkey and Syria may face obstacles due to the deep-rooted animosity between the Turkish and Syrian leaders, potentially hindering progress.

Russia is working towards improving relations between Syria and Turkey, which deteriorated during the civil war, with Turkey supporting Syrian opposition groups and having a military presence in northern Syria.