Reuters. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan welcomed Syria's transitional President, Ahmed al-Sharaa, to the Turkish presidential palace on Tuesday (February 4) ahead of bilateral talks.
They were expected to discuss a joint defence pact, which could include establishing Turkish airbases in central Syria and training for Syria's new army, four sources familiar with the matter said.
NATO member Turkey has long backed Syria's armed and political opposition to ousted leader Bashar al-Assad, who was toppled in late December in a lightning offensive spearheaded by Sharaa's forces.
Ankara is positioning itself to play a major role in the new Syria, filling a vacuum left by Assad's main regional backer Iran, in an expansion of Turkish sway that could spark rivalry with Gulf Arab states and put Israel on edge.
