Merkel to discuss Syria with Erdogan during his visit next week

German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrives for the informal meeting of European Union leaders in Salzburg, Austria, September 20, 2018. REUTERS/Lisi Niesner

BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel will discuss challenging topics including the situation in Syria with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan during his visit to Germany next week, a spokesman for the German government said on Friday.

Russia and Turkey told a weekly meeting of the U.N. Syria humanitarian taskforce in Geneva on Thursday that they were still working out the details of their plan to avert a major battle in Syria's Idlib province but were optimistic.

(Reporting by Michelle Martin; Editing by Maria Sheahan)