Erdo?an believes Putin 'may give up on' Syria's Bashar al-Assad

Russian President Vladimir Putin has changed his stance on the ongoing crisis in Syria and is ?much more positive? about a future without President Bashar al-Assad, according to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an.

?I saw him more positive during the face-to-face meeting we held in Baku and in a telephone conversation later,? Erdo?an told a group of journalists accompanying him on a trip to Indonesia.

?He does not have that initial stance; he is no more at the ?we are behind [Syrian President Bashar] al-Assad all the way? point. Actually, I believe that he may give up on al-Assad; he is going in a much more positive direction,? the president added.

The two Black Sea neighboring countries, which have deep economic ties especially in the energy field, have differed extremely in regard to their approach to the Syrian conflict. 

Ankara has been keen for a regime change in Syria, while Moscow remains one of the staunchest supporters of the al-Assad government.

Turkey has recently started operations against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in Syria and the outlawed Kurdistan Workers? Party (PKK) in Iraq and inside Turkey. The country also announced an agreement with the U.S. to open ?ncirlik base to an anti-ISIL coalition.

Erdo?an said Saudi Arabia, Qatar, France and the United Kingdom may be included in the operations.
?Our allies and the related countries have been informed on the operations conducted against terrorist groups, including the PKK and DA??,? Erdo?an said, using a different acronym for ISIL, adding that ?the necessary steps were taken and they will continue.?

When asked about the warm relations between the U.S. and Democratic Union Party (PYD), whose armed forces are...