Zelenskyy, Turkey and Syria discuss war and reconstruction

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met in Damascus Sunday for a high‑level, three‑way meeting.

They were welcomed at the Presidential Palace by Syrian President Ahmed al‑Sharaa.

According to Turkey’s state‑run Anadolu Agency, the talks will focus on joint projects to rebuild Syria, and on key regional issues, including efforts to bring northeast Syria more fully under the control of the central government, and the impact of nearby conflicts in Iran and Lebanon.

In a post on X, Zelenskyy said he and President al‑Sharaa discussed both the wars in the Middle East and the war in Ukraine. He added there is, quote, “strong interest in exchanging military and security experience” between Ukraine and Syria.

Zelenskyy arrived in Damascus from Turkey, where he met with Foreign Minister Fidan to talk about Ukraine peace efforts and a possible leaders’ summit in Istanbul. He also said new defense deals between Turkey and Ukraine could be signed soon.

For Fidan, this is his first visit to Syria since December 22nd, 2025, when he traveled there with Turkey’s defense minister Yasar Guler and intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin.