Fayez al-Sarraj and Khalifa Haftar
Leader of the Libyan National Army (supported by the UAE, Egypt and Russia), Khalifa Haftar, and the chief of the pro-Turkish Government of National Accord, Fayez al-Sarraj, arrived in Moscow on Jauary 13 for negotiations on a possible settlement of the conflict in Libya.
The Libyan National Army (LNA) and the Government of National Army (GNA) are expected to sign a ceasefire agreement in the framework of negotiations supported by Russia and Turkey. On January 12, the LNA and the GNA already declared a ceasefire proposed in the joint statement of Turkish and Russian presidents. However, the effort still remains shaky and the situation on the frontline remains tense.
It’s intersting to note that on January 13 Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar and Foreign Minister Mevlüt Cavusoglu are visiting Moscow on the same day. The hosting Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu will also adress the situation in Libya.
The joint Russian-Turkish effort to establish a ceasefire in Libya indicates that the sides found a kind of understanding and possibly agreed on the division of spheres of influence in the conflict. If the Russian-Turkish effort helps to de-escalte the situation and put an end to the terrorism threat and violence, it will become another success of the practical approach emplyoed by the both powers in their cooperation regarding the Middle East question.
