Having returned from Moscow last week with less than half a victory in Idlib, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan now faces an uphill battle domestically where the results of his talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin are proving to be a hard sell to the public.

The pro-government media’s efforts to bolster Erdogan’s position with banner headlines and commentary about his great success are failing to convince a wary public.

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Turks are increasingly concerned about their country’s involvement in Syria and the lack of any apparent forward-looking strategy or honorable exit plan, should things start going seriously wrong there.

The concern is amplified by the killing of over 50 Turkish soldiers by the Syrian regime and the Russian air force since Erdogan ordered the Spring Shield Operation in Idlib in late February.