Hulusi Akar

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Feb. 21 emphasized the necessity to control the Syrian regime forces and halt a humanitarian crisis in northwestern Syria, during a phone call with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, according to Turkey's communications directorate.

Despite the positive rhetoric emanating from the recent meeting between Greek and Turkish Defense Ministers Nikos Panagiotopoulos and Hulusi Akar in Brussels, Ankara has not backed down from its policy of exercising constant military pressure and raising diplomatic hurdles to the efforts for the launch of a dialogue between the two countries or even to improve channels of communication with Ath

Turkey's Defense Minister Hulusi Akar had separate meetings with his British and French counterparts in Brussels on Feb. 13.

Akar visited NATO headquarters on the second day of NATO defense ministers meeting.

He met with U.K. Defense Secretary Ben Wallace before attending a session on defense, deterrence and burden-sharing.

Greek Defense Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos called for the strengthening of NATO's presence in the Aegean Sea on Thursday so as to halt, as he said, the migration influx from Turkey, speaking at the two-day meeting of NATO Defense Ministers in Brussels, February 12-13.

Turkey will use force against rebel groups violating a ceasefire in Syria's northwest Idlib region, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said on Thursday, in an apparent response to Russian criticism.

Scores of Syrian regime elements were "neutralized" on Feb. 12 in Syria's northwestern province of Idlib, the Turkish Defense Ministry has said.

"According to information conveyed by several sources in Idlib region, it has been learned that 55 regime elements were neutralized today," said the statement.

Turkish and U.S. defense ministers discussed on Feb. 12 the situation in Syria and Iraq on the sidelines of NATO defense ministers meeting in Brussels.

Turkey's defense chief Hulusi Akar and his U.S. counterpart Mark Esper exchanged views on security and defense issues regarding Syria and Iraq, including the situation in Idlib.

Ankara should refrain from activities that fuel tensions in the region, Greek Defense Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos told Turkish counterpart Hulusi Akar in a meeting on the sidelines of a NATO meeting in Brussels on Wednesday.

Washington is reportedly examining ways of making further use of the military air base in Greece's northern port city of Alexandroupoli, while sources say American officials will arrive in the country over the next few days to explore areas that could be used by US military aviation helicopters.

Turkey's Defense Minister Hulusi Akar will attend a meeting of the NATO defense ministers in Brussels on Feb. 12-13, the country's Defense Ministry said on Feb. 11.

Akar will also hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts, the ministry said in a statement.