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On Jan. 2, French President Emmanuel Macron and Russian President Vladimir Putin had their first phone conversation of 2019. The two leaders discussed Syria in the light of the planned US withdrawal, and the French president emphasized three points.
First, he said the fight against the Islamic State must be carried on in order to avoid any resurgence of the terrorist group. Second, he stressed that the Kurds, who have been the spearhead of the battle against the terrorists on the ground in Syria, must be safeguarded, and their rights recognized. Finally, he underlined the necessity to strictly enforce the Istanbul agreement of Oct. 27 “to ensure a durable cessation of hostilities in Idlib province.”
