Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) shake hands after a joint press conference following their meeting at the Presidential Complex in Ankara, Turkey, September 28, 2017. AFP/Adem Altan

ANKARA: Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday agreed to push for the creation of a "de-escalation" zone in Syria's key northern province of Idlib to help end the civil war.

Erdogan said after talks in Ankara that the pair agreed to "pursue more intensely" the implementation of a de-escalation zone in Idlib, which is currently under extremist control, in comments echoed by Putin.

The Russian leader said Russia and Turkey would work to "deepen coordination" on ending the over six-year civil war, adding the "necessary conditions" now existed for the conflict to end.