Russia reaches agreement with Turkey on Syrian cease-fire

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks on Dec. 20 in Istanbul.
(Image credit: OZAN KOSE/AFP/Getty Images)

Turkey and Russia have agreed on a plan for a cease-fire encompassing the whole of Syria, Turkish state-run media reported Wednesday. The two nations aim to implement the cease-fire by midnight Wednesday and will present the plan to other countries involved in the conflict during talks in Kazakhstan, with the exclusion of terror organizations.

Separately, both Russia and Turkey accused the United States of supporting terrorist groups this week, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan saying Tuesday that the U.S.-led coalition in Syria "give[s] support to terrorist groups including [the Islamic State]" as well as to the People's Protection Units (YPG) and the Democratic Union Party (PYD), both Kurdish organizations.

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Jeva Lange

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.