Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met with Syrian President Ahmad Al-Sharaa at the Dolmabahçe Presidential Office in Istanbul, marking a key moment in regional dialogue efforts.

The high-level meeting, held on Friday, was also attended by Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan and Minister of National Defense Yaşar Güler, signaling the importance Ankara places on fostering renewed relations with Damascus after years of strained ties.

While the contents of the discussion were not immediately disclosed, the meeting is expected to focus on regional security, refugee issues, the reconstruction of Syria, and efforts to stabilize northern Syria. Analysts view the encounter as part of broader normalization efforts across the region and a potential step toward a gradual thawing of Turkish-Syrian relations.

The presence of top diplomatic and defense officials underscores the strategic nature of the engagement, as both countries face shared concerns over border security, counter-terrorism, and economic recovery in the post-conflict environment.

This meeting comes amid a shifting regional landscape, with several Arab states restoring ties with Syria and Ankara showing signs of recalibrating its Syria policy in pursuit of stability and cooperation. (ILKHA)