Turkey attempts to improve relations with Assad regime in Syria, commences patrols alongside Russia

According to the Turkish Defense Ministry, Turkey's leader, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has decided to attempt to mend relationships with Syrian leader Bashar Assad. If this were to play out, it would mean reducing or completely removing Turkish support for the Free Syrian Army, an anti-Assad group in the Syrian civil war. While this might improve relations with Syria and Russia, it would strain relations with Turkish allies inside and outside NATO, such as the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Ukraine.

Assad has stated that the only way he will meet Erdogan is if Turkey comes to discuss Turkish soldiers leaving the region and the removal of Turkish support for the Free Syrian Army, which the Assad regime has declared to be terrorists. If Turkey goes through with this, it could be the start of a shift in Turkish allegiance.