Lavrentiev denied Ankara’s operation cleared by Moscow in advance

Alexander Lavrentiev, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s envoy for Syria, said: "We had always urged Turkey to show restraint and always considered some kind of military operation on Syrian territory unacceptable.”

The Kremlin’s envoy for Syria was speaking to reporters in Abu Dhabi during an official visit there by Putin. He said Turkey’s military offensive in northeast Syria was “unacceptable” and denied Ankara’s operation had been cleared by Moscow in advance.

Lavrentiev made his comments after Turkey ignored new sanctions from the United States to press on with its assault on northern Syria.

When asked if there had been an advance agreement between Russia and Turkey about Ankara’s operation, Lavrentiev was cited as saying: “No. We had always urged Turkey to show restraint and always considered some kind of military operation on Syrian territory unacceptable.”

Lavrentiev added: "The security of the Turkish-Syrian border must be ensured by the deployment of Syrian government troops along its entire length,” said Lavrentiev. “That’s why we never spoke in favor or supported the idea of Turkish units (being deployed there) let alone the armed Syrian opposition."