U.S. Ambassador to Türkiye and Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack announced Sunday that Washington is now backing Syrian reconstruction not through force or mandates – but through respect, unity, and regional cooperation.
“We’re standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the Syrian people,” Barrack wrote on X, adding, “not with troops and lectures, or imaginary boundaries, but with Türkiye, the Gulf, and Europe at our side.”
He took direct aim at Western colonial legacies and modern foreign interventionism, referencing the 1916 Sykes-Picot Agreement that carved up the Middle East for imperial gain. “That mistake cost generations,” he said. “We will not make it again. The era of Western interference is over.”
His remarks follow sweeping U.S. and European policy shifts that mark a clear break from years of sanctions and military entanglement. Washington recently issued general license sanctions relief, part of a policy rollback initiated under former President Donald Trump, who described past measures as "brutal and crippling." Trump justified the move as a chance to give Syria “a shot at greatness.”
The EU echoed Washington’s new approach, lifting its economic sanctions on Syria earlier this week to support long-stalled reconstruction efforts.
Barrack’s statement comes in the wake of a historic meeting between Trump and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Riyadh, a symbolic gesture signaling a new chapter in post-conflict diplomacy.
“With the fall of the Assad regime, the door is open to peace,” Barrack stated. “By removing sanctions, we’re giving Syrians a real chance to reclaim prosperity and security.”
He stressed that Syria’s future must be shaped by regional diplomacy, not imposed agendas: “Syria’s tragedy was born in division. Its rebirth must come through dignity, unity, and investment in its people.”
Echoing Trump’s May 13 address in Riyadh, Barrack emphasized that the days of Western officials "flying in to lecture the region" are over.
