The Long Road to Rapprochement between Syria and Turkey

Summary

Turkey and Syria are currently on a path toward rapprochement, in the culmination of a significant yet challenging long-term process that has the potential to transform Syria’s northern borderland. In December 2022, a pivotal meeting between Russia, Turkey, and Syria at the level of defense ministers, accompanied by their respective security chiefs, took place in Moscow, kickstarting the process of rapprochement. The most recent meeting was on May 10, 2023, at the level of foreign ministers; this meeting included Iran, which had joined the group after the first meeting. Participants have agreed to continue the talks on the level of deputy or assistant foreign ministers in the pursuit of a “road map” that would eventually lead to the normalization of Syria–Turkey relations.

Creators/Authors

Armenak Tokmajyan
Armenak Tokmajyan is a nonresident fellow at the Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut and formerly a fellow at International Crisis Group. His research focuses primarily on the conflict in Syria. @TokmajyanA

Anais Al-Wahibi
Anais Al-Wahibi is a pseudonym for a Damascus-based Syrian journalist and researcher. He has written for many local and foreign research centers in the past decade.