By the end of the year transportation routes between Latakia and Aleppo, and Latakia and Hama must be restored, Russian President Vladimir Putin after a meeting with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan, RIA Novosti reported.

"Control in the demilitarized zone will be exercised by mobile patrol groups of Turkish units and units of Russian military police."

He also said that the sides agreed to "resume transit traffic along the Aleppo-Latakia and Aleppo-Hama highways by the end of 2018, also at the initiative of the Turkish side."