Syrian refugees at the border with Greece in Turkey’s Erdine Province (Anadolu)

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has spoken by video conference with European leaders about the latest phase of the crisis around Syria’s refugees, spurred by Ankara’s effort to send the displaced into the European Union.

Erdoğan held the discussion with French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson late Tuesday. The four leaders were due to meet in Istanbul before an escalation in Coronavirus barred travel.

Erdoğan’s office said little about the session apart from references to “possible solutions for the crisis in Syria” and “possible ways to send humanitarian relief” to the opposition area in Idlib Province in the northwest, where almost one million civilians have been displaced since December by a Russian-regime offensive.

Turkey hosts about 3.6 million Syrian refugees but closed its border to further entries in 2016. In March 2016, Ankara agreed to prevent movement to Europe in return for 6 billion Euros in EU assistance, about half of which has been delivered.

On February 28, as Ankara launched attacks on hundreds of pro-Assad targets in Idlib, Turkish authorities began moving refugees at low or no cost to the border with Greece.

Greek police refused entry, using tear gas and stun grenades to hold back the displaced. At least one refugee was killed.

On March 5, Erdoğan pulled back from military pressure on the 10-month Russian-regime offensive that killed almost 2,000 civilians. He agreed with Russian President Vladimir Putin on a ceasefire and a partition of Idlib, allowing pro-Assad forces to hold about half of the last major opposition territory in Syria.

But the Turkish President continued to push for the movement of refugees into Europe. He went to Brussels last week for meetings with the EU and NATO, but was rebuffed by European leaders.

See also Syria Daily, March 10: EU to Turkey’s Erdoğan — Pull Refugees Back from Greek Border