Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan was received by Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa in Damascus on Sunday as Ankara and Damascus seek to deepen bilateral cooperation and coordinate on regional security and political developments.

The meeting took place during Fidan’s official visit to the Syrian capital and was attended by Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani. According to Syria’s state news agency SANA, the discussions focused on strengthening relations between Syria and Türkiye and exchanging views on the latest regional developments.

Earlier on Sunday, Fidan held talks with al-Shaibani before the two foreign ministers addressed a joint news conference. The visit comes amid efforts to consolidate Syria’s post-conflict political transition, strengthen its territorial integrity and expand economic and security cooperation with Türkiye.

Fidan said during the press conference that Türkiye supports Syria’s stability and territorial integrity, while stressing the importance of integrating armed groups into the Syrian state and preserving the country’s unity. He also accused Israel of seeking to destabilize Syria through repeated military strikes.

“Just as Syria offers so much hope to the region and the world, there is suddenly an actor striving to destabilize the country,” Fidan said, identifying Israel as that actor. He cited recent Israeli strikes, including an attack on the Abu Duhur military airbase, as examples.

The Turkish minister’s visit comes as Ankara continues to closely support Damascus in efforts to restore security, rebuild state institutions and revive the Syrian economy. Türkiye has repeatedly emphasized that a stable and unified Syria is important not only for the Syrian people but also for regional security.

The two countries have also been working to expand cross-border trade, transportation links, energy cooperation and investment. Fidan said in previous talks with al-Shaibani that Türkiye sees significant opportunities for economic and commercial cooperation as Syria restores stability and reconnects with neighboring countries and wider regional markets.

Fidan’s latest visit follows high-level contacts between Turkish and Syrian leaders. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met al-Sharaa in Ankara in July, where the two sides discussed bilateral relations and regional developments, with Erdoğan reaffirming Türkiye’s support for the Syrian people and emphasizing the importance of keeping Syria out of regional conflicts.

The Damascus meeting underscores the increasingly close coordination between Ankara and Damascus as both governments confront security challenges and seek to strengthen Syria’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and regional position. (ILKHA)