Trump and Erdogan Discuss Syria Conflict

President Donald Trump had a phone conversation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday, focusing on the ongoing conflict in northeastern Syria.

The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are currently engaged in combat against forces loyal to Syria’s interim president, Ahmed al-Shara. The SDF accuses Shara’s administration of indiscriminate violence aimed at gaining control over areas historically held by them.

Turkey shares a border with the conflict area and has been supportive of the Shara government in Damascus. However, Turkey has a notably aggressive stance against the Kurds. The SDF has been a critical ally of the United States in the war against the Islamic State, yet Turkey perceives all Kurdish military groups in Syria as a security risk, alleging connections to the PKK, a separatist group banned in Turkey.

The SDF is hesitant to fully integrate into Shara’s new government, which emerged after a coalition of rebels and jihadists ousted long-time dictator Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, effectively ending Syria’s 14-year civil war. The Kurds harbor deep distrust towards the jihadist elements included in the Syrian National Army, especially under the leadership of Shara, a former al-Qaeda officer.

Shara has pushed for the complete incorporation of the Kurdish region into the Syrian national framework and for the Self-Defense Forces to be governed by the Syrian military. Tensions escalated last month in the Kurdish area of Aleppo city when these conflicting visions turned violent.

The situation rapidly devolved into clashes between the Syrian army and the SDF. Although the U.S. helped establish a ceasefire, it fell apart. A subsequent ceasefire agreement allowed the SDF four days to accept an integration arrangement that compromised many of their longstanding demands.

The Kurds have accused Shara’s forces of committing atrocities reminiscent of the Islamic State, including horrific acts such as beheadings and assaults on civilians, potentially including sexual violence.

Following the call, Trump remarked, “We are closely monitoring developments in Syria,” noting the importance of Syria’s unity and territorial integrity to Turkey.

Additions from the Turkish presidential palace indicated that Erdogan and Trump also discussed the resurgence of the Islamic State. In a concerning development, ISIS launched an attack on a camp housing their fighters and families on Monday.

Erdogan expressed that “a peaceful Syria devoid of terrorism” would aid regional stability, a sentiment he shared with Trump during their discussion.

Trump only described the conversation as “very good.” On the same day, he stated an affinity for the Kurds and a desire to safeguard them from mistreatment.

Reflecting on U.S. relations with the SDF, Trump noted, “The Kurds were paid a huge amount of money. We gave them oil and other things. So they weren’t doing it for themselves; they were doing it for us.” But he added, “We’re on good terms with the Kurds and trying to protect them.”

Tom Barrack, Trump’s special envoy to Syria, declared that now offers the best opportunity for Syrian Kurds to engage in “a post-Assad transition” under the new government led by Ahmed al-Sharaa.

Barrack argued that this moment could facilitate complete integration into a unified Syrian state, granting citizenship rights, cultural protections, and political participation—privileges denied during Assad’s regime, which saw many Kurds facing statelessness and discrimination.

He claimed the Trump administration is promoting protections for Kurdish rights while cooperating against ISIS. However, he cautioned the SDF to pursue integration with Damascus, suggesting prolonged separation could lead to instability and a resurgence of ISIS.

On Wednesday, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan announced his representation of Turkey on President Trump’s Peace Commission aimed at Middle Eastern conflict resolution.

Erdogan made a clear statement regarding his intentions when pressed by the media about his role on the board, coinciding with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s announcement of his own involvement.

Some of Erdogan’s allies have hinted at him stepping into a speaker role, citing his significant respect throughout the Middle East.

There seems to be a mutual interest from Erdogan and Shara in resolving conflicts with the SDF ahead of the peace committee’s first session. Syrian state media reported that an agreement had been reached with the SDF concerning numerous issues about Hasakah province, predominantly Kurdish territory.

The report indicated that there would be a four-day consultation period for the Self-Defense Forces to develop a plan for their integration. In the event of an agreement, the Syrian army would avoid entering urban centers yet maintain a presence on the outskirts.

Shara’s office reportedly assured that his forces would not cross into Kurdish villages, which would remain under the protection of local security forces.

Turkey’s primary pro-Kurdish party, the Democratic Party for Equality (DEM), cautioned that persistent violence against Syrian Kurds could jeopardize fragile reconciliation efforts between Turkey and the PKK.

DEM co-chair Turei Hatimoglali questioned the feasibility of internal peace when the rights of Kurds are overlooked. In recent protests along the Turkish-Syrian border, demonstrators condemned the treatment of Syrian Kurds, encountering significant police pushback that resulted in chaos.

Burhanettin Duran, Erdogan’s communications director, labeled recent violence as problematic and linked the demonstrations to PKK terrorism, asserting that such efforts would not weaken their resolve.