Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan remains hopeful about a reconciliation with Syrian President Bashar Assad to end tensions between the two countries. Erdogan believes that normalizing ties would stabilize Syria and protect its territorial integrity. Turkey has been seeking reconciliation with Syria to address security threats from Kurdish militants and ensure the safe return of Syrian refugees. Russia has been pushing for a return to diplomatic relations between Turkey and Syria. Erdogan stated that cross-border operations are always on Turkey's agenda if they feel threatened.