MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Turkey is attempting to disrupt the cessation of hostilities in Syria as it pursues its own geopolitical interests in the region, the speaker of Russia's Federation Council, the upper house of parliament, said.
"Attempts are being made to disrupt the ceasefire and aggravate the situation, including by Turkey, which initially pursued its own geopolitical goals in Syria and continues to target the Kurdish population, despite this being banned by existing agreements and UN Security Council resolutions," Valentina Matvienko told RIA Novosti.
Syria has been mired in civil war since 2011, with forces loyal to President Bashar Assad's government fighting numerous opposition factions and extremist groups.
On February 22, Russia and the United States reached an agreement on a ceasefire in Syria, which took effect on February 27.
