This March 12, 2020 photo, shows an aerial view of the town of Afis, which has sustained widespread destruction due to heavy fighting and air-strikes by pro-Syrian regime forces, in the northwestern Idlib province. (OMAR HAJ KADOUR / AFP)

MOSCOW - Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, on Thursday expressed satisfaction with a "significant decrease in tensions" in Syria's Idlib, the Kremlin said.

During a telephone conversation, the presidents discussed issues related to an agreement reached regarding Idlib during the Russian-Turkish summit in Moscow on March 5, the Kremlin said in a statement.

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The leaders confirmed the importance of continuing close collaboration, primarily through the Russian and Turkish defense ministries, in order to ensure a stable cessation of hostilities and further stabilize the situation, it said.

They agreed to maintain regular dialogue at various levels, including personal contacts, it added.

Last Thursday, Putin and Erdogan after nearly six hours of talks agreed on a ceasefire between Turkish troops and militants they support and the Syrian government troops backed by Russia in the Idlib de-escalation zone.