Stability in Syria should be the priority

Moscow and Ankara on Tuesday reached a deal to "facilitate the removal" of Kurdish People's Protection Units and their weapons from within 30 kilometers of the Turkish-Syrian border.

The accord, struck by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan after six hours of talks in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, allows Turkey to establish a long sought after "safe zone" inside Syriaabout 120 km long and 32 km deep. It gives Ankara a crucial presence inside the country. Which is why Erdogan has hailed the agreement as "historic".

Russia, whose forces will begin joint patrols with Turkish forces along the Turkish-controlled zone, has also scored significant geopolitical gains by moving in to fill the void left by the United States in northern Syria, further cementing its role as the sole key foreign player in the regional conflict. Putin described the decision as "very important, if not momentous, to resolve what is a pretty tense situation".