Turkiye and the United Kingdom held diplomatic talks in Ankara on Monday to discuss the unconditional removal of sanctions on Syria, with a particular focus on restoring financial flows to the war-torn country, according to Turkish diplomatic sources.
The meeting was led by Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Nuh Yilmaz and Hamish Falconer, the UK’s Minister of State for the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. The talks covered various issues related to Syria and the broader region.
Yilmaz shared Turkiye’s assessments of the security, humanitarian, and economic conditions in Syria and stressed the need for a comprehensive approach to addressing the crisis.
He highlighted the importance of supporting national reconciliation efforts aimed at restoring central governance in Syria. Yilmaz also underscored that separatist movements have no place in this process.
During the discussions, Yilmaz emphasized that the Syrian administration is determined to combat all forms of terrorism and pointed out the importance of supporting these efforts.
Additionally, the conversation turned to Syria’s reconstruction and economic development, where the lifting of sanctions was addressed. The removal of sanctions, particularly to enable financial flows into Syria, was a key topic.
Both Turkiye and the UK agreed to continue consultations on Syria and other regional issues. The meeting comes after the fall of the Baathist Assad regime in December, with Syria now under a new government led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa.
The talks reflect ongoing international efforts to address Syria’s prolonged crisis and the role that sanctions play in hindering the country’s recovery.
