Breakthrough in the relationship between Turkey and Syria

On May 11, 2023

A few days before the Turkish elections, Syria and Turkey reached an agreement in Moscow to improve their mutual relations. The foreign ministers of Turkey, Syria, and Iran met today following the invitation of the Russian government. It is the first time Turkey and Syria have reached such an agreement since the start of the Syrian war in 2011.

No concrete plans emerged from the meeting, but the four countries agreed to remain in contact and meet more frequently in the near future. This is noteworthy given the long-standing hostility between Turkey and Syria.

Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad said there is an opportunity for Damascus and Ankara to work together “despite all the negativity of the past years,” Syrian state news agency SANA reported. However, the Syrian government’s demand for the withdrawal of all foreign armies, including Turkey, remains valid. Mekdad added that as long as there is no progress on this issue, they will remain stagnant and no real result will be achieved.

The Russian Foreign Ministry described the atmosphere as positive and constructive. He added that the deputy foreign ministers of the two countries will be tasked with working on a roadmap to improve the relations between Syria and Turkey. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov expressed hope for the normalization of relations between Turkey and Syria, saying that Moscow sees its task as “not only to consolidate politically the progress that has been made but also to determine the general guidelines for further steps.”

In a statement on Twitter after the meeting, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said they stressed the need for cooperation in the fight against terrorism, working together to establish the basis for returns of Syrians, taking political process in Syria forward and protecting Syria’s territorial integrity. The Russian government has been trying for years to improve ties between Turkey and Syria. Last December, the defense ministers of Syria and Turkey also met in Moscow.