Erdogan, al-Sharaa Meet in Istanbul, Signal Reset in Turkey-Syria Ties
In a surprise meeting Saturday in Istanbul, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan welcomed Syrian interim leader Ahmed al-Sharaa for closed-door talks focused on restoring bilateral ties and strengthening regional cooperation. The visit came on the heels of decisions by both the United States and the European Union to lift long-standing sanctions on Syria—moves Turkey has warmly embraced.
According to Erdoğan’s office, the two leaders met for 90 minutes at Dolmabahçe Palace, joined by senior officials including defense and intelligence chiefs from both countries. The Turkish president hailed the easing of international sanctions as a step toward rebuilding Syria and reaffirmed Turkey’s commitment to supporting Syria’s territorial unity. “Unified governance of both the country and its military is essential for long-term stability,” Erdoğan said.
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Al-Sharaa, on his first visit to Turkey since taking office, expressed appreciation for Ankara’s backing during Syria’s diplomatic thaw. Erdoğan said cooperation between the two countries would deepen, especially in areas like energy, defense, and transportation.
The meeting also touched on shared regional concerns. Erdoğan repeated Turkey’s opposition to Israeli military operations on Syrian soil, calling them “unacceptable.” On the security front, Turkish and Syrian intelligence leaders recently discussed disarmament of the Kurdish People’s Defense Units, which Turkey considers a terrorist group linked to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). The talks follow the PKK’s announcement this month that it would lay down arms after a four-decade insurgency.
As diplomatic ice melts, the US appears to be acknowledging Turkey’s growing leverage in Syria. US Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack confirmed he had taken on the role of special envoy to Syria, signaling a shift in Washington’s approach to post-conflict diplomacy.
