Turkey and Qatar Are Buying Into Syria. The US Should Be Wary of Their Motives

With Washington’s blessing, Qatar and Turkey are cementing their role in post-Assad Syria. On May 29, Syria signed a $7 billion memorandum of understanding with the United States, Qatar, and Turkey to construct four combined-cycle gas turbine power plants and one solar farm. Qatar’s UCC Holding is leading the international consortium, which also includes Power International USA, and Turkish energy companies Kalyon GES Enerji Yatirimlari and Cengiz Enerji. Both Turkish companies have close ties to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Once completed, the five installations are expected to satisfy more than 50 percent of Syria’s electricity needs. Syrian Energy Minister Mohammed al-Bashir said the agreement “marks a crucial step in Syria’s infrastructure recovery plan” and will “help meet growing demand through partnerships that combine international expertise with local priorities.”

The energy deal landed days after the Trump administration began lifting sanctions on Syria and signals that Washington is at ease with Qatar and Turkey embracing Syria.

Qatar is Bankrolling Post-Assad Syria

Qatar has emerged as a leading financier of post-Assad Syria. In March, the Trump administration gave Qatar the green light to supply natural gas to Syria via Jordan. The next month, Qatar and Saudi Arabia jointly announced their intention to settle Syria’s outstanding debt to the World Bank. The World Bank confirmed on May 16 that Doha and Riyadh had cleared Syria’s $15.5 million debt, allowing “the World Bank Group to reengage with the country and address the development needs of the Syrian people.” Prior to providing sanctions relief, Washington also approved a three-month, $87 million Qatari grant to subsidize public-sector salaries.

Evidently, Doha’s dollars will continue to flow. U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack — who Trump also appointed as his Special Envoy to Syria — posted on X that “the $7 billion energy deal is just the beginning — Qatar plans to invest in a Syria that is now open for business.”

Turkey Seeks Leadership Role in Syria

Turkey forcefully inserted itself into Syria after Bashar al-Assad’s fall, hoping to leverage economic, military, and strategic gains. Turkey’s military has offered to rebuild the Syrian army with equipment and training, providing Ankara with a platform to position its own military assets inside Syria and project power into the region. This development presents security concerns for Israel and Syria’s Kurdish minority — a key U.S. partner, represented under the banner of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) — both of whom remain apprehensive about Turkey’s expansionist aims in the Middle East.

Erdogan is also seeking ways to reward allies in Turkey’s business community by offering them investment opportunities in Syria. Following the Trump administration’s decision to lift sanctions on Syria, 180 Turkish firms appeared in a Damascus trade fair, showcasing the Turkish private sector’s interest in rebuilding Syria’s housing market and public infrastructure.

Washington Should be Wary of Turkish and Qatari Influence in Syria

Qatar and Turkey share more than an interest in Syria. Both countries champion the Muslim Brotherhood and are key sponsors of Hamas, the Muslim Brotherhood’s Palestinian offshoot. Their growing influence in Syria could pave the way for the emergence of an Islamist state — a future not difficult to imagine given the new Syrian leadership’s jihadist past. Washington may be keen to view Syria’s new government as moderate but with Doha and Ankara jockeying for influence, it would be a mistake to take that as a foregone conclusion.

Sinan Ciddi is a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), where Natalie Ecanow is a senior research analyst. For more analysis from Natalie, Sinan, and FDD, please subscribe HERE. Follow Sinan on X @SinanCiddi. Follow Natalie on X @Natalie Ecanow. Follow FDD on X @FDD. FDD is a Washington, DC-based, nonpartisan research institute focusing on foreign policy and national security.