Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hosted Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa on Saturday at the historic Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul, in a significant step toward rebuilding diplomatic ties between the two neighboring countries.

While the detailed agenda of the discussions was not disclosed, sources close to both delegations confirmed that the leaders addressed bilateral cooperation on regional security, counterterrorism, and post-conflict reconstruction in Syria. The meeting follows a series of contacts and previous negotiations held in Ankara earlier this year.