Erdogan hosts Syria’s Sharaa in Istanbul after US and EU lift sanctions

Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul on Saturday amid growing regional cooperation and the removal of Western sanctions on Syria.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan welcomed Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Istanbul on Saturday for high-level discussions, as both the United States and European Union officially ended years-long sanctions on Syria.

According to a statement from the Turkish Presidency on social media platform X, Erdogan expressed his approval of the policy shift, telling Sharaa that Ankara welcomed the decisions made by the US and EU.

The two leaders held a meeting at the Dolmabahce Palace after Sharaa's surprise visit, which marks a significant moment in the normalization of diplomatic ties between Ankara and Damascus. In recent months, Turkiye has become one of the main regional partners of the Syrian government following the ousting of former President Bashar al-Assad.

The meeting was also attended by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Defense Minister Yasar Guler, and MIT intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin. Their Syrian counterparts participated in the discussions as well.

In parallel developments, US ambassador Tom Barrack has been appointed as Washington’s special envoy to Syria. The move is seen as a signal of American recognition of Turkiye’s growing influence over Syria’s future.

Earlier this week, Turkish and Syrian intelligence officials held talks on the future of the Kurdish YPG militia. Turkish sources indicated discussions focused on the disarmament of YPG fighters and their potential integration into Syrian security forces. Turkiye continues to regard the YPG as a terrorist group due to its links to the PKK, which recently announced its decision to disband.

With sanctions lifted and diplomatic meetings underway, Ankara is positioning itself as a key player in shaping post-conflict Syria and restoring regional stability.

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