Turkey-Syria Leaders Meet Istanbul Following Western Sanctions Lift

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met with Syrian interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa in Istanbul in a high-level diplomatic engagement attended by top officials from both countries, including foreign and defense ministers. The talks, held at the Dolmabahçe Palace, were conducted privately with no immediate details disclosed but are widely seen as part of efforts to normalize Turkish-Syrian relations and address regional security, refugee issues, and Syria's reconstruction. This meeting follows a significant shift in the regional landscape, notably after the U.S. and the European Union lifted sanctions on Syria to facilitate post-civil war recovery. Discussions reportedly included the potential disarmament and integration of the Kurdish YPG into Syrian security forces, reflecting shared concerns over border security and counter-terrorism. Al-Sharaa's visit to Turkey marks his second this year, highlighting ongoing diplomatic outreach as Syria seeks to deepen bilateral ties with Ankara amid broader normalization trends. The lifting of sanctions was welcomed by Syria’s government as a positive step toward alleviating humanitarian and economic hardships.