Talks between Turkish Prez Erdogan, Russian counterpart Putin underway

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is holding talks with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, at the Black Sea resort of Sochi.

The talks are taking place before a ceasefire between Turkish and Kurdish forces in northern Syria is set to expire. According to the Kremlin, Putin and Erdogan's talks will focus on normalising the situation in northeast Syria.

Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned Kurdish YPG



militia to withdraw from areas in Syria ahead of the expiry of a five-day US-brokered ceasefire.

Speaking before his departure for the Black Sea resort of Sochi, Erdogan said he would discuss the fate of towns in northeastern Syria that forces loyal to Damascus had entered. The Kurdish YPG militia was expected to initially withdraw from a 120-kilometre strip of the border with Turkey as part of the deal.