“President Erdogan, in welcoming Al-Sharaa on his first visit to Türkiye following the decision by the United States and the European Union to lift sanctions on Syria, expressed Türkiye's satisfaction with the initial steps taken toward lifting the sanctions,” read a statement from the Republic of Turkey’s Directorate of Communications.
The United States and European Union have both recently lifted economic sanctions on Syria, with Washington issuing a general license on Friday and the EU announcing its decision earlier in the week.
Sharaa expressed his gratitude to Erdogan for his efforts in getting the sanctions lifted, according to the Turkish statement.
Ankara enjoys a close relationship with Damascus. Turkey swiftly established ties with the interim government that took office in January after the ousting of Bashar al-Assad and the end of five decades of Baathist rule.
In his meeting with Sharaa, Erdogan voiced optimism for a peaceful future in Syria and “underscored the importance of preserving Syria’s territorial integrity and ensuring unified governance of the country and its armed forces from a central authority.”
He pledged Ankara’s continued support, saying that “bilateral relations and cooperation between Türkiye and Syria will continue to develop in all fields, particularly in energy, defense, and transportation, and Türkiye will continue to fulfill the requirements of neighborly and brotherly relations, as it has always done.”
Erdogan has in the past dismissed Kurdish calls for decentralized governance in Syria and has stated that Kurdish forces in the country must disarm alongside the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
The Turkish president also addressed Israeli aggression on Syrian territory saying it is unacceptable.
Since the fall of Assad, Israel has carried out numerous strikes on Syria’s military infrastructure and military operations in support of the Druze population, which has clashed with forces of the new administration.
Earlier this month, Erdogan accused Israel of attempting to provoke a new conflict in Syria and asserted that Ankara would not allow such an escalation to occur.
