US, Russian top diplomats discuss Syria in phone call

The top diplomats of Russia and the U.S. discussed the current situation in Syria in a phone call on Saturday, Moscow said.

During the call between Sergey Lavrov and Mike Pompeo initiated by the U.S. side, Russia's Foreign Ministry said in an online statement that Lavrov stressed the necessity to refrain from "undermining the sovereignty and territorial integrity" of Syria.

Lavrov and Pompeo also discussed the bilateral issues, the statement added.

On Oct. 9, Turkey launched Operation Peace Spring to eliminate terrorists from northern Syria east of the Euphrates River in order to secure Turkey’s borders, aid in the safe return of Syrian refugees, and ensure Syria’s territorial integrity.

On Tuesday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin held a meeting in Russia's Black Sea resort town of Sochi.

Ankara and Moscow reached a deal under which YPG/PKK terrorists will pull back 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) south of Turkey’s border with northern Syria within 150 hours, and security forces from Turkey and Russia will conduct joint patrols there.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the European Union -- has been responsible for the deaths of 40,000 people, including women, children and infants. The YPG is the Syrian offshoot of the PKK.