Syrian President Bashar Assad has responded positively to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's proposal to normalize relations between Ankara and Damascus, with a potential meeting in Turkey or a third country, following Erdogan's announcement after the NATO summit. This information was reported by the Turkish news agency ANKA.

Assad has given the "green light" for normalization but insists on the restoration of the pre-2011 status quo, which includes the withdrawal of Turkish forces from Syria. Additionally, he emphasizes the need to combat terrorist groups "on a clear basis to achieve the desired results." For years, Turkey has supported groups opposed to Assad.

Iraq has offered to serve as the "third country" for the meeting. Meanwhile, Russia, which maintains close relations with both Syria and Turkey, reportedly opposes this proposal.