The Syrian ministry of foreign affairs sent a message to United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the UN Security Council protesting against Turkey's plans to establish a "safe zone" on Syrian soil. Damascus considered the move "a form of aggression against Damascus."

"What the Turkish regime is doing to establish a so-called safe zone on Syrian soil is an act of aggression and an act of colonization through which the government of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is seeking to create an [unstable] outpost in Syria," Damascus said on Wednesday in a statement reported by the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA).

"The Turkish regime is seeking to back, arm, and operate armed terrorist organizations to use against the Syrian people in a manner that serves the extremist agenda upheld by the Turkish regime, which poses a grave danger to regional and international peace and security," the statement added.

Damascus also underlined that it reserved its right to take all necessary measures stipulated in international law to prevent "Turkish aggression."

President Erdogan announced Monday that the Turkish army intended to "launch counterterrorism operations on Turkey's borders [...] the decision about these operations will be taken seen."

Anakara, according to Erdogan, "will start taking new steps to complete the safe zone 30 km into Syrian soil" noting that the armed forces would prioritize the areas used to launch attacks on Turkish-occupied areas.

Erdogan has also stated that Turkey will veto NATO membership bids from countries that have imposed sanctions on Ankara. After Turkey's invasion of northern Syria in 2019 Sweden, and Finland had banned arms supplies to Turkey.