Syria and Turkey Discuss Defense Pact, Kurdish Fighters, and Economic Recovery

Syria's interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa and Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan explore strategic partnerships on security, defense, and reconstruction during talks in Ankara.

• Ahmed al-Sharaa, Syria's interim president, made his second international visit to Ankara to strengthen ties with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan following his December ousting of Bashar al-Assad.
• Discussions included a potential defense pact, with Turkey proposing new military bases in Syria and offering training for the country's newly restructured army.
• Both leaders emphasized combating terrorism, with Turkey pushing for action against Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which Ankara considers a security threat near its border.
• Economic recovery was a key focus, with Turkish businesses preparing significant investments in Syria's reconstruction and trade expected to grow substantially in the coming years.
• Erdogan pledged support for lifting international sanctions on Syria and highlighted the importance of Arab and Muslim nations backing the transitional government financially and politically.

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