Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday said there was a "real chance" to end Syria's civil war as he opened a summit with the leaders of Turkey and Iran in an effort to reboot a peace process in the war-ravaged country.

"There is a real chance to put an end to this years-long civil war," Putin said at the start of talks with Iran's President Hassan Rouhani and Turkish leader Recep Tayyip  Erdogan, adding that the three countries had managed to prevent Syria's collapse.