The fall of the Assad regime in Syria dominates the agenda in its northern neighbor, Türkiye. A primary actor in the region, the country's leaders launched intense diplomacy after anti-regime forces defeated the regime in less than two weeks. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan leads Türkiye's diplomatic efforts to help Syria to regain its normalcy and ensure stability in neighboring countries where developments directly affect Türkiye.
Erdoğan continues talks with world leaders focused on promoting peace and stability in the region.
On Dec. 10, he held his first discussion with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. During the meeting, which addressed recent developments in Syria, Erdoğan reiterated that Türkiye has supported Syria’s territorial integrity and stability since the onset of the civil war. He emphasized that Syria should be governed by its own people and pledged Türkiye’s continued efforts to establish a united and terror-free Syria.
On the same day, Erdoğan also spoke with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, reaffirming Türkiye’s commitment to supporting the Syrian people in achieving lasting stability in their country. Following his discussion with Aliyev, Erdoğan had a phone call with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. He highlighted that the recent developments confirmed the accuracy of Türkiye’s humanitarian and principled policies. Erdoğan said that Türkiye would continue its stance in favor of peace, freedom, dialogue and justice in Syria, stressing the importance of preserving Syria’s territorial integrity and achieving stability. The Turkish leader also told Meloni that Israeli aggression has now extended to Syria, arguing that this approach does not contribute to Syria’s stability and stressing the necessity of clearing the country of terrorist elements.
Later in the evening, Erdoğan continued his phone diplomacy, speaking with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. He assured von der Leyen that Türkiye would remain committed to supporting the Syrian people by eliminating terrorist elements, maintaining unity, safeguarding territorial integrity and ensuring peace for all Syrians regardless of ethnicity or religion. The Turkish president concluded the day with a call with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. He underlined the importance of the new phase for Syria’s unity, cohesion and territorial integrity, reaffirming Türkiye’s commitment to a terror-free Syria. Erdoğan also emphasized that creating the necessary conditions to facilitate the return of Syrians displaced by the civil war remains a priority for Türkiye.
On Dec. 12, Erdoğan met with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken at Esenboğa Airport in Ankara.
During the meeting, he stressed that Türkiye would take preventive measures to safeguard its national security against all terrorist organizations operating in Syria, including the PKK/YPG and Daesh. Erdoğan pointed out that Türkiye is the only NATO country to have engaged in direct combat with the Daesh terrorist group and said that Ankara would prevent the PKK terror group and its affiliates from exploiting the situation on the ground.
He also vowed to ensure that no weaknesses emerged in the fight against the Daesh terrorist group. Erdoğan reiterated Türkiye’s longstanding position on preserving Syria’s territorial integrity, unity and unitary structure. Additionally, Erdoğan called on the international community to work together to rehabilitate and reconstruct Syrian institutions.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan also held a string of talks with his counterparts and last hosted Blinken in Ankara. On Saturday, he was in Jordan's Aqaba for an international meeting on Syria's future.
The country's stability is of critical importance for both its region and the wider world, the foreign minister said, calling for "an orderly, inclusive, and Syrian-led transition process." "We must not allow terrorism to exploit this transitional period in any way," he said.
Expressing gratitude to Jordan for hosting the event, Fidan highlighted the historic significance of the current period for the region. Stressing that the Syrian people deserve to live in security, freedom, and prosperity, Fidan also emphasized the need to preserve state institutions during the current transitional period while also implementing reforms where required.
Fidan emphasized the importance of safeguarding Syria's territorial integrity, as well as its rich social fabric. He stressed that all minorities must be respected and that the transition process be guided by the principles of unity, mutual reconciliation, caution, and care. He highlighted the critical role of both international political support and humanitarian aid for Syria. Any misstep in the process ahead could trigger waves of irregular migration, he warned, underlining the need for coordinated efforts and learning from past mistakes.
On external threats, Fidan demanded an immediate end to Israeli attacks on Syria. He acknowledged the challenges ahead for the country, stating, "The coming days may not be easy, but as Türkiye, we will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Syrian people."
Addressing questions from the reporters after his speech, Fidan highlighted the ongoing terrorist threats Türkiye faces beyond its borders.
"We are under threat from Iraq and Syria. Over the past decade, the PKK has sought to exploit the chaos in Syria, attempting to restructure itself within the YPG organization. We continue to combat PKK/YPG terrorism, targeting them wherever they are," said the minister.
Noting that these concerns were discussed with regional and international partners during the meeting, he also reaffirmed Türkiye's respect for the rights of Syrian Kurds. "Our aim is to distinguish the Syrian Kurds from the terrorist organization PKK/YPG. We support the legitimate representatives of Syrian Kurds in their efforts to advocate for their rights in Damascus," said Fidan.
Also on Saturday, Türkiye reopened its embassy in Damascus after a 12-year closure. The Turkish flag was raised over the diplomatic mission in the presence of the new charge d'affaires, Burhan Köroğlu. Representatives of Syria's transitional government were present at the ceremony at the embassy in the capital's Rawda district, which also hosts other diplomatic missions.
The Damascus embassy closed on March 26, 2012, a year after Syria's civil war began, due to the deteriorating security situation amid calls by the Turkish government for Assad to step down.
Köroğlu was previously Turkey's ambassador to Nouakchott, Mauritania. It was not immediately clear how long he would hold the post in Damascus. Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalın was also in Damascus on Thursday, visiting the Umayyad Mosque in the capital.
