Turkish Ambassador to Damascus: Energy Disruptions Open Strategic Opportunities for Turkey and Syria

Turkey's Ambassador to Damascus, Nuh Yilmaz, has said that sweeping shifts in global energy markets are generating genuine strategic opportunities for both Turkey and Syria. He made the remarks on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum 2026, in an interview with Anadolu Agency.

Alternative Corridors Amid Supply Disruptions

Yilmaz explained that mounting pressure on energy flows could redirect supply toward overland alternatives, most notably pipelines running through northern Turkey, or routes extending from Iraq through Syria to the Mediterranean. He described Turkey as currently offering the shortest, safest, most cost-effective and most stable outlet for Gulf energy exports toward Europe. The US Ambassador to Turkey, Tom Barrack, who also serves as special envoy for Syria, echoed this view at the same forum, noting that growing geopolitical risks are forcing countries to rethink how energy and critical resources are transported, and highlighting Turkey and Syria as central transit hubs.

Syria as a Future Energy Actor

The ambassador identified the Iraq-Syria corridor as the second most significant alternative in the current crisis, but stressed that activating it requires political and security stability in Syria sufficient to attract multi-billion-dollar investments. Yilmaz estimated that Syria's emergence as a meaningful actor in energy markets would take no fewer than ten years, as it demands stability first, followed by investment and the formation of the necessary alliances. He cautioned that Israeli destabilizing actions and terrorist activity remain fundamental obstacles to realizing this corridor.

Bilateral Trade as a Foundation

Yilmaz noted that the development of trade between Turkey and Syria, encompassing the modernization of border crossings, customs frameworks and mutual recognition of official documents, is progressing positively, though it requires further time. He indicated that ongoing negotiations over specific goods and tariff arrangements are being managed in a manner that serves both sides' interests. He concluded that as road infrastructure is repaired and transportation bottlenecks resolved, bilateral trade between the two countries is likely to reach its highest levels on record.