Next steps in Syria include redefining Turkish-Syrian-'Israeli' relations, says US envoy

• US envoy Tom Barrack signals a new phase in Syria policy, aiming to redefine Turkish-Syrian-'Israeli' relations
• Barrack urges Congress to lift remaining sanctions, including the Caesar Act, to support Syria’s reconstruction and strengthen its role as a counterterrorism partner.

US Special Envoy and Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack has outlined the next phase of US engagement in Syria, signaling a focus on reshaping relations between Turkey, Syria, and 'Israel'.

His remarks follow Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s historic visit to the White House, the first by a Syrian leader since the country’s independence in 1946.

In a detailed social media post, Barrack said that discussions between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, and Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani included “redefining Turkish-Syrian-'Israeli' relations, advancing the alignment underpinning the 'Israel'-Hamas ceasefire, and addressing various Lebanese border issues.”

Barrack also called on the US Congress to lift sanctions on Syria, particularly the Caesar Act, a set of measures designed to pressure the Assad regime by blocking investments and economic transactions with the Syrian government.

Syria’s “remarkable transformation”

Barrack hailed Syria’s shift from isolation to regional partnership, noting its participation in the Global Coalition to Defeat Daesh as a historic marker of its transition from a source of terrorism to a counterterrorism partner.

“The time has come to replace estrangement with engagement, and to give Syria – and its people – a genuine chance at renewal,” Barrack said, reflecting on Sharaa’s Monday meeting with President Donald Trump.

Despite the meeting, Sharaa downplayed prospects for normalizing ties with 'Israel', signaling that any rapprochement will be gradual.

Türkiye’s role in Syria’s resurgence

Barrack praised Türkiye’s tireless efforts in supporting Syria’s resurgence, calling it “a testament to quiet, steadfast diplomacy that builds bridges where walls once stood.”

He urged the US Congress to take a “historic step” by fully repealing the Caesar Act, arguing it would empower Syria’s government and enable the Syrian people and their neighbors to “not only survive but to thrive.”

Sanctions relief underway

Since Assad’s ouster last year, Syria has been working to expand cooperation with regional and international partners and lift economic sanctions to rebuild after 13 years of civil war.

Some restrictions have already been eased, including Syria’s removal from the US Treasury Department’s sanctions list and the delisting of senior officials from US and UN terror-related sanctions.

The remaining measures, including the Caesar Act, appear poised for near-complete removal, with the sanctions suspended for a second 180-day period as of Monday.