A high-level Turkish delegation visited Damascus Monday, December 21, for talks with Syria’s leadership, underscoring renewed momentum in bilateral relations and growing pressure to implement the March 10 agreement on integrating the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) into state institutions. The meetings took place at the People’s Palace and included Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and senior ministers from both countries.
The Turkish delegation was led by Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and included Defense Minister Yaşar Güler and Intelligence Chief Ibrahim Kalin. Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani, Defense Minister Marhaf Abu Qasra and General Intelligence Chief Hussein al-Salama attended on the Syrian side.
Economic, Security and Regional Priorities
Speaking at a joint press conference, Shaibani described Syrian-Turkish relations as strategic and steadily expanding across economic, security and political sectors. He said President Sharaa discussed economic and trade cooperation with the Turkish delegation, particularly following the lifting of US sanctions on Syria, as well as intelligence and military coordination and the return of Syrian refugees.
Shaibani said the talks also addressed combating terrorism and preventing a resurgence of ISIS, along with developing a shared vision for northeastern Syria. He stressed that the Jazeera region, comprising Raqqa, Hasakah and Deir Ezzor, remains an integral part of the country and warned that continued delays in integrating armed groups would undermine stability and reconstruction efforts.
March 10 Agreement Under Scrutiny
Both sides emphasized the importance of the March 10 agreement signed between Damascus and the SDF. Shaibani said the agreement reflects a clear Syrian intent to unify the country but added that the government has not seen serious commitment from the SDF to implement it. He said Damascus recently submitted a proposal to advance the agreement and received a response that is now under review.
Fidan echoed that assessment, saying there were no serious indications that the SDF intends to follow through. He said integrating the SDF into state institutions serves the interests of all parties and directly affects regional stability, noting that Syria’s stability is closely linked to Turkey’s own security.
Turkish Position and External Pressures
Fidan said Turkey stands ready to support Syria’s stability and highlighted cooperation against ISIS as a shared priority. He also addressed Israeli strikes on Syrian territory, calling on Israel to abandon what he described as expansionist policies.
Days earlier, Turkish Defense Minister Güler said the deadline for SDF integration expires at the end of the year and warned that Ankara is prepared for multiple scenarios if progress remains absent, according to Turkish media. He said the agreement was based on the principle of one state and one army but has yet to produce concrete results.
The visit marked another step in an accelerating exchange of high-level contacts between Ankara and Damascus since the fall of the Assad regime, with both governments signaling that the coming months will test whether agreements translate into action on the ground.
