In Call to Lift Sanctions, Syrian Interim Leader Underlines Support From Russia and Turkey

Latest Developments

“A new set of security relations in the region:” Turkey and Russia will be the dominant outside actors in Syria, the country’s interim president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, indicated in an April 22 interview with the New York Times. “Turkey has a military presence in Syria and Russia also has a military presence. We’ve nullified past agreements between Syria and other countries, and are in the process of developing new ones,” he said. Commenting on Syria’s strategic importance in the wake of the overthrow last year of former dictator Bashar al Assad, Sharaa argued that the “fall of the regime and the new state in which Syria found itself paved the way for an entirely new set of security relations in the region…That’s why many nations, whether regional or European, have a great interest in the stability of Syria.”
Sharaa reiterates Syrian dependence on Russia: Despite Russia’s military support for the Assad regime, Sharaa said it was important to reestablish the relationship due to Syria’s long-term reliance on Russia for weapons, as well as “food and energy agreements that Syria has relied on for many years.” Meanwhile, Turkey has offered military and economic assistance to Syria and has sought to deploy Turkish troops inside the country.
U.S. and Europe Hesitant to Lift Sanctions: Sharaa pleaded with the United States and Europe to lift crippling economic sanctions, which he said “were implemented as a response to the crimes committed by the previous regime against the people.” He noted that during Assad’s rule, “entire sectors” of the economy were “nearly destroyed: Agricultural, economical, the financial sector, the service industries, tourism.” He added that that some American conditions “need to be discussed or modified” but “declined to elaborate further,” according to the Times.

FDD Expert Response

“Sharaa warns of instability and calls on the United States to lift sanctions, yet offers no justification for concentrating an extraordinary amount of power in his own hands— executive, legislative, and judicial. If he’s determined to stabilize Syria, why not give the Syrian people the chance to choose their own leaders and hold them accountable?” — David Adesnik, Vice President of Research

“Sharaa keeps doubling down on deeper ties with Turkey — a move that should set off alarm bells in the U.S. and Israel. While the United States eyes an exit from Syria, Turkey is quietly filling Iran’s shoes, propping up Syria politically and embedding loyalists in key security posts. The United States can’t afford to ignore the reality that Turkey is fast becoming the dominant regional power in Syria.” — Ahmad Sharawi, Research Analyst