Experts say Turkey’s blocking of Russian planes flying to Syria is a calculated move to maintain its balancing strategy.

Following a meeting between top Turkish officials and their Russian and Ukrainian counterparts, Turkey closed its airspace to Russian civilian and military planes transporting troops to Syria.

The decision is effective for three months.

During a visit to Uruguay on Saturday, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told reporters that Turkey had granted Russia permission to use its airspace on a “three-month basis.”

The last period of consent, however, expired earlier this month, and the flights have ceased.

Russia, Iran, and Turkey have been key players on opposing sides in the Syrian battleground, with the Kremlin and Tehran supporting Syrian President Bashar Assad in political, logistical, and military terms, while Turkey backed rebel forces.