MOSCOW, July 25 Ukraine was not discussed by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad; the situation in the Middle East was the main topic of the talks, said Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov.
«No, the topic of Ukraine did not figure, there was, naturally, the topic of political regulation and the situation in the region around Syria; that was the main thing at the meeting,» Peskov said, answering a question from journalists about whether Putin and Assad discussed the topic of Ukraine.
A broad exchange of opinions took place at the talks on all topics related to the situation around Syria, Peskov said.
«In general, there was a fairly broad exchange of opinions on all topics related to the situation in the region around Syria… And many of the topics you mentioned were also touched upon in one way or another. That's all I can say,» he said, answering a question about whether the possibility of a meeting between Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had been discussed and whether Assad had asked Moscow for help in possibly ensuring security on the part of Israel.
The day before, Russian President Vladimir Putin held a meeting in the Kremlin with his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad.