On 24 May 2025, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of Türkiye and President Ahmed al-Shara of Syria met at the Presidential Dolmabahçe Working Office in Istanbul. The meeting, which lasted approximately one and a half hours, was held behind closed doors, after which the delegations from both countries attended a joint banquet. On the same day, Syrian President Ahmed al-Shara also held a diplomatic meeting in Istanbul with Thomas Barrack, the U.S. Ambassador to Ankara and U.S. Special Representative to Syria.
Content and Agenda of the Meeting
The meeting primarily focused on bilateral relations between Türkiye and Syria, with an exchange of views on regional and global developments. President Erdoğan stated that Türkiye, as in the past, will continue to support Syria’s territorial integrity and political unity. He expressed his belief that Syria can achieve a peaceful and stable future.
The Turkish side welcomed the beginning of the lifting of sanctions imposed by the United States and the European Union on Syria, and referred to this development as the context for al-Shara’s first visit to Türkiye. Erdoğan emphasized that Syria must be governed from a single center and highlighted the importance of restructuring the Syrian armed forces within this framework.
President Erdoğan clearly stated during the meeting that Israel’s occupation and aggression on Syrian territory are unacceptable and that Türkiye will continue to oppose such actions in all forums. He also noted that bilateral relations and cooperation between Türkiye and Syria will continue to develop across all sectors, including energy, defense, and transportation, and reaffirmed that Türkiye will continue to fulfill its obligations under the principles of neighborliness and brotherhood, as it has done to date.
Delegation Participation and Diplomatic Dimension
Accompanying President Erdoğan during the meeting were Türkiye’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan, Minister of National Defense Yaşar Güler, Head of the National Intelligence Organization Ibrahim Kalın, Head of the Defense Industry Haluk Görgün, Presidential Advisor on Foreign Policy and Security Akif Çağatay Kılıç, and Presidential Advisor Sefer Turan.
On the Syrian side, in addition to President al-Shara, Minister of Foreign Affairs Asad Hasan Shaybani and Minister of Defense Murhaf Abu Qasra were present. A statement issued by the Syrian Presidency noted that the government delegation led by President Ahmed al-Shara arrived at Dolmabahçe Palace and discussed “certain common issues” with President Erdoğan.
The statement indicated that the meeting was conducted within the framework of mutual diplomatic courtesy and that strategic issues concerning the future of relations between the two countries were deliberated.
Contacts and Statements with the United States
On the same day, it was announced that Syrian President al-Shara held a meeting in Istanbul with Thomas Barrack, the U.S. Ambassador to Ankara and U.S. Special Representative to Syria. In a statement issued afterward by the U.S. side, this meeting was described as the second high-level encounter following al-Shara’s talks with U.S. President Donald Trump in Riyadh, and emphasis was placed on progress made in implementing the decision to lift all U.S. sanctions on Syria.
Thomas Barrack stated that the temporary suspension for 180 days of sanctions under General License 25 and the Caesar Act has opened the way for regional actors to provide humanitarian aid and development assistance to Syria. He further noted that the United States will continue supporting the Syrian people in line with its goal of permanently defeating ISIS and affirmed that the lifting of sanctions serves this strategy.
Barrack also highlighted that the al-Shara administration has taken positive steps in accordance with principles set by President Trump, particularly regarding foreign terrorist fighters, camps in northeastern Syria, and relations with Israel. He outlined the goal of involving Türkiye, Gulf countries, Europe, and the United States in regional and international cooperation to support the reconstruction of Syria’s economy through private sector investments.
