Syrian President Ahmad Al-Sharaa expressed gratitude to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for Türkiye’s continued support of the Syrian government during ongoing regional challenges and Ankara’s opposition to Western sanctions.
The meeting took place in Istanbul, where President Erdoğan warmly welcomed the Syrian President. The discussion, which lasted about an hour and a half, included high-level officials from both countries and focused on bilateral relations and regional issues. The meeting concluded with a shared meal between the two delegations.
Prominent Turkish officials present included Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Defense Minister Yaşar Güler, Intelligence Chief İbrahim Kalın, Presidential Advisor on Foreign Policy and Security Akif Çağatay Kılıç, and Defense Industry Chief Haluk Görgün. The Syrian delegation was led by Foreign Minister Asad Hassan Al-Shabani and other senior officials.
According to a written statement issued by Türkiye’s Directorate of Communications, President Erdoğan emphasized that Türkiye would continue to oppose Israeli aggression in Syria at every forum and reaffirmed support for Syria’s territorial integrity and central government.
President Erdoğan also welcomed the easing of U.S and EU sanctions on Syria, stating that Türkiye views the development positively and aims to further strengthen cooperation with Damascus in key sectors, including energy and defense.
President Ahmad Al-Sharaa, who is visiting Türkiye for the first time since the lifting of sanctions, thanked President Erdoğan for his consistent support.
The meeting comes at a time when the U.S administration under President Donald Trump has effectively ordered the lifting of sanctions on Syria, signaling a significant shift in international policy toward the war-torn country.
