Russian Defense Minister Shoigu held a meeting with his Turkish counterpart Hulusi Akar in Istanbul, the Russian Defense Ministry reported.

Shoigu and Akara discussed the situation in the Black Sea region and Ukraine, as well as in the Middle East, particularly in Syria.

The head of the Russian military department drew Akar's attention to the fact that the US military has been on the territory of the sovereign state of Syria for a long time. Shoigu called their presence there a violation of international norms and emphasized that at the bases deployed by the United States, such as Et-Tanf, terrorist fighters are trained.

Shoigu also noted the illegality of unilateral U.S. sanctions against the official government of Syria. He also noted that these restrictions exacerbate the dire humanitarian situation in the country. Shoigu also drew attention to the long stay of the U.S. military in Syria, which violates international norms, TASS reported.

The Russian defense minister said that the U.S. military has seized and currently holds control over a number of areas in Syria where minerals are being extracted. "The U.S. military is actually stealing minerals from a sovereign state," the report said. He noted the need to maintain the ceasefire in Syria.

The agencies of the two countries are in constant contact on this issue at various levels