U.S., Syrian, and SDF leaders discuss integration at Munich

By Ahmet Taş | Wise News Press

MUNICH, GERMANY —  U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Syrian Foreign Minister Esad Hasan Shaybani and SDF Commander Mazlum Abdi in Munich to discuss the ongoing implementation of Syria’s national integration agreement.

The high-level meeting, held on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference (MSC), focused on the progress made since January in harmonizing the country's military and civil structures. According to a report by DW Turkish, the talks underscored a significant shift toward centralizing the Syrian state following the collapse of the previous regime in late 2024.

Progress on the integration agreement

In a written statement, the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that Minister Shaybani’s delegation emphasized Syria’s unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity during the meeting with Rubio. U.S. officials reportedly reaffirmed their support for the reconciliation between the Syrian transition government and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), as well as continued cooperation in the fight against ISIS.

Commander Mazlum Abdi described the discussions as "very productive" in a social media post. Abdi noted that the primary objective was to review the advancements in the integration process and thanked the United States for its role in facilitating the landmark deal. He further praised the diplomatic efforts that allowed the SDF delegation to participate in the Munich conference as representatives of the unified Syrian state.

A "new beginning" for Syrian unity

The U.S. Special Representative for Syria and Ambassador to Ankara, Tom Barrack, echoed the positive sentiment of the talks. "A picture is worth a thousand words — a new beginning," Barrack shared on social media, highlighting the symbolic importance of the tripartite meeting.

This diplomatic push follows months of intermittent clashes that eventually led to the January agreement between President Ahmed Shara’s transition administration and the SDF. The deal mandates the inclusion of Kurdish military units and sivil institutions into the official central state organs of Syria.

Background of the transition period

The current political landscape in Syria was shaped by the fall of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, led by the Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) militants and other opposition groups. Since then, the Trump administration has backed the transition government led by Ahmed Shara.

While the Shara administration has pledged to protect minorities and ensure stability, the government continues to face criticism regarding the safety of Alawite, Druze, and Kurdish communities. International observers have raised concerns that certain factions within the transition forces may still pose a threat to these groups, despite the "unified national framework" promoted at international summits like the MSC.

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