Fidan’s Meetings in Washington with U.S. and Syrian Officials
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, during his visit to Washington, emphasized that if the crises in Syria are not carefully managed, the country may face the risk of collapse and a serious threat to its territorial integrity. Fidan attended several meetings at the White House, held at the invitation of the United States, where he met with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Steve Witkoff, Special Envoy of President Donald Trump for Middle East Affairs, Tom Barrack, U.S. Ambassador to Ankara and responsible for the Syria file, Syrian Foreign Minister Esad Hasan Sheybani, and U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance.
Fidan explained that in these meetings, Turkey’s general perspectives on Syria and opportunities for cooperation with the United States were discussed, along with issues such as development, unity, solidarity, peace, and regional security. He added that in separate sessions with Witkoff and Barrack, they also addressed the Palestinian file, the ceasefire process in Gaza, the Russia-Ukraine war, and Iran’s nuclear negotiations, and that the outcomes of these talks were conveyed to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
The Turkish Foreign Minister highlighted the importance of completely lifting the sanctions known as the “Caesar Act” for the reconstruction of Syria’s economy, stating that the law must be fully repealed and reviewed by Congress so that presidential waivers are no longer necessary. He also stressed the need to preserve Syria’s unity and prevent pressure on ethnic and religious groups, warning that crises in the north, northeast, and south of Syria could have serious consequences for the country’s territorial integrity.
Fidan noted that the trilateral meeting with the foreign ministers of Syria and the United States was a continuation of previous talks in Antalya, and underlined the significance of Barrack’s role in accelerating the negotiation process. He further stated that Turkey’s priority regarding Gaza is to stop genocide and initiate humanitarian aid, adding that Turkey seeks an enforceable and realistic resolution from the United Nations Security Council.
In this context, U.S. Deputy Spokesperson of the Department of State Tommy Pigott issued a written statement, declaring that Marco Rubio and Hakan Fidan, in their meeting, discussed the ceasefire in Gaza and the necessary steps to ensure regional stability, and emphasized their support for efforts to achieve lasting peace. Rubio also reiterated President Donald Trump’s call on NATO allies to halt energy purchases from Russia in order to end the ongoing war in Ukraine.
