LONDON: Ahmed Al-Sharaa, the president of the Syrian Arab Republic, has held talks on ties and regional development with American members of Congress and US Special Presidential Envoy for Syria and Iraq Tom Barrack.
The officials met on Wednesday in Ankara, where Turkiye is hosting the 36th NATO Summit amid the alliance’s various security challenges.
Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani attended the meeting, while Sen. Jeanne Shaheen led the bipartisan US group, which included senators Chris Coons, Mike Rounds, Dick Durbin and Lindsey Graham, as well as representative Michael Turner.
Barrack wrote on X that the meeting “underscores the critical importance of Syria as a focal point amid the intricate and rapidly evolving dynamics of one of the world’s most complex regions.
“This moment carries historic weight, highlighting Syria’s central role in shaping the future of the Middle East.”
Al-Sharaa arrived at Ankara Esenboga airport early on Wednesday and was received by Turkiye’s Trade Minister Omer Bolat along with several other officials, as reported by the Syrian Arab News Agency.
Leaders attending the NATO Summit include US President Donald Trump, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and heads of state from Finland, Slovakia, Italy, Canada, Bulgaria, Albania, and Montenegro.
French President Emmanuel Macron is participating in the summit after visiting Damascus earlier this week, becoming the first European head of state to do so since the fall of the Bashar Assad regime in December 2024.
