Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said both Türkiye and the EU agree on the need to establish an inclusive government in Syria following the ouster of President Bashar Assad.
“We saw that we agree on the establishment of a participatory administration, especially on the preservation of Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Erdogan said.
He reiterated Türkiye’s strong opposition to the presence in Syria of the ISIS group or of Syrian Kurdish militia that Ankara considers to be terrorists.
“We will absolutely not allow these organizations to grow. There is no place for either the ISIS or the PKK and its derivatives in the future of our region,” Erdogan said, in reference to Syrian Kurdish groups that are linked to the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party, PKK, in Türkiye.
Von der Leyen emphasized the need to stay alert against the “real” threat of the reemergence of ISIS in Syria. She acknowledged Türkiye's security concerns but said it was important to ensure that all minorities are safe, an apparent reference to Syrian Kurds.
The Turkish leader accused the international community of failing to provide adequate support to Syrians during the long civil war. “It is now possible to compensate for this. The way to do this is to support Syria’s construction and development efforts,” he said.
Von der Leyen announced an additional 1 billion euros for Türkiye to help it support millions of Syrian refugees.
She said the funding would help with health care and education for refugees, as well as migration and border management, including voluntary returns of Syrian refugees. She said the funds could be adjusted to meet needs that may arise as the situation in Syria evolves.
