The leaders of Turkey, Russia, France and Germany have met in Istanbul over the situation in Syria. A joint statement released after their talks focused on the refugees and the long-term enforcement of a ceasefire in Syria's Idlib. They also called on a committee to draft a new constitution before the end of the year, which they hope would "pave the way for free-and-fair elections". CGTN's Michal Bardavid has more from Istanbul.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hosted the four-way summit on Syria in Istanbul. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Russian President Vladimir Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron attended, as did the United Nations Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura.

MICHAL BARDAVID ISTANBUL "The main aim of the meeting was to discuss a roadmap for a political solution to the Syrian conflict. Turkey and Russia have already been working very closely on Syria, the two have brokered a deal in September regarding Idlib province that prevented a full-blown assault in the area."

Ankara and Moscow had agreed for radical groups to withdraw and heavy weapons to be pulled out of a demilitarized zone in Idlib, a process still underway. All of the leaders voiced support for a continued ceasefire in the area and hailed the deal for preventing a new humanitarian crisis. Putin, however, made clear that Russia would take action if any radical groups engage in armed provocations. Syrian refugees were also on the agenda. Erdogan called on the EU for more support.

RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN TURKISH PRESIDENT "I would like to reiterate that we expect the European Union to fulfil its promises on fair burden-sharing. I call on other countries to increase their support for Syrian people's needs bearing in mind that winter is coming."

Leaders called for the establishment of a committee by the end of this year that would create Syria's post-war constitution under the supervision of the UN. Regarding the future of Syrian President Bashar Al Assad, Erdogan said it would be up to the people of Syria to decide his fate. French President Macron emphasized the leaders' opposition to use of chemical weapons, also spelled out in the joint statement. And Macron said cooperation among all involved parties will be vital.

EMMANUEL MACRON FRENCH PRESIDENT "We are all extremely vigilant to ensure that these commitments are met and that the ceasefire is stable and sustainable. We are on the same page with the president's (Tayyip Erdogan) plans on intelligence sharing and humanitarian aid and we rely on Russia to put pressure on the Syrian regime."

The leaders also expressed their commitment to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria while stating the need to create the conditions for refugees to safely and voluntarily return to their country. Michal Bardavid, CGTN, Istanbul.