Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa made a surprise visit to Istanbul on Saturday for talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, shortly after his meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in Saudi Arabia.
Appointed on January 29 as the head of Syria’s interim administration, al-Sharaa had previously visited Turkey in February at Erdogan’s invitation. His latest visit marks another step in strengthening ties between Ankara and Syria’s interim leadership.
Arriving in Ankara on a plane provided by Turkey, al-Sharaa expressed his administration’s desire to elevate relations with Turkey to a new level. In his words, they aimed to transform the relationship into a “deep strategic cooperation.”
The meeting took place at the Dolmabahçe Working Office and included key officials from both countries. Present from the Turkish side were the head of the National Intelligence Organisation (MİT), İbrahim Kalın, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, and Minister of National Defence Yaşar Güler. Syrian Foreign Minister Assad Hassan Şeybani also attended.
President Erdogan welcomed the recent decisions by the European Union and the United States to ease sanctions on Syria, describing them as moves “welcomed by Turkey.” He also stressed the importance of maintaining Syria’s territorial integrity, referring specifically to the presence of Israeli troops within Syrian borders.
The Syrian interim leader expressed gratitude for Turkey’s assistance, saying he thanked President Erdogan “for his critical support and efforts” in lifting sanctions.
