Turkish foreign minister meets US envoy to Türkiye, Syria in Ankara

2026-01-29 - 10:30

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held a diplomatic meeting in Ankara on Thursday with the United States' top representative in the country, Ambassador Tom Barrack. The discussions are notable as Ambassador Barrack holds a dual role, also serving as the US Special Envoy for Syria, a country where both nations have significant and often divergent strategic interests. A Meeting with a Dual-Purpose Envoy The meeting was confirmed by sources within the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The ministry subsequently released a photograph of the encounter on the Turkish social media platform NSosyal, offering visual confirmation but no substantive information about the agenda. The presence of Ambassador Barrack in his capacity as the Syria envoy strongly suggests that developments in the neighboring conflict were a primary topic. The talks come at a time when recent ceasefire agreements and the formation of new governance structures in parts of Syria are reshaping the political landscape. Context of Complex Turkish-US Relations on Syria Türkiye and the United States have a long and complicated partnership regarding Syria, characterized by both coordination and friction. Key points of tension have included US support for the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which Türkiye views as an extension of the PKK terrorist organization, and the presence of US troops in areas Ankara seeks to control. Points of potential coordination involve counter-terrorism efforts against ISIS, managing the refugee crisis, and seeking a political settlement to the civil war. High-level meetings like this one serve as essential channels to manage these complex issues and prevent misunderstandings from escalating. Timing Amid Regional and Bilateral Developments The timing of the meeting is significant. It follows recent statements from Türkiye urging caution and diplomacy regarding US-Iran tensions, a separate but related regional issue. Furthermore, it occurs as both countries navigate a broader recalibration of alliances and security postures. For Türkiye, maintaining an open dialogue with Washington on Syria is crucial for safeguarding its national security interests along its southern border, influencing the future political setup in northern Syria, and coordinating on humanitarian and stabilization efforts. The lack of public detail is standard for sensitive diplomatic exchanges but underscores the ongoing importance of the Türkiye-US relationship in addressing one of the world's most protracted conflicts.