MOSCOW, December 23. /TASS/. The situation in Syria was the focus of a meeting between Russian presidential envoy for the Middle East and African countries and Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov and Turkish Ambassador to Moscow Tanju Bilgic, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

"The sides exchanged views on the current situation in and around Syria, with a focus on the need to ensure Syria’s unity, territorial integrity and sovereignty in accordance with the principles underlying the work of the Astana format," it said.

According to the ministry, the meeting was initiated by the Turkish side.

Armed opposition units in Syria launched a large-scale offensive on government troops in the Aleppo and Idlib governorates in late November. On December 8, they entered Damascus, while President Bashar Assad stepped down and fled the country. On December 10, Mohammed al-Bashir, who had led the so-called Syrian Salvation Government in the Idlib governorate, announced his appointment as head of Syria’s interim government, saying that the transitional period will last until March 1, 2025.