Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and US President Donald Trump held a pivotal phone call to discuss the rapidly shifting landscape in the Middle East. The conversation focused on a newly announced ceasefire in Syria and the launch of the “Board of Peace” for Gaza. Erdogan emphasized that Turkey is “closely following” the situation in Syria, where the Turkey-backed central government recently seized territory in the northeast. He stressed that Syria’s unity and territorial integrity are “important” for regional stability, while also discussing the ongoing fight against Islamic State (IS) and the status of IS prisoners in Syrian jails.
#BREAKING US President Trump invites Turkish President Erdogan to become founding member of Board of Peace that is responsible for ensuring security, reconstruction in Gaza Strip pic.twitter.com/MCY5AKYu41
— Anadolu English (@anadoluagency) January 17, 2026
The call coincided with a major breakthrough in Syria, where the new government in Damascus announced a four-day ceasefire with the US-allied, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The deal includes a roadmap for the SDF, a group Turkey views as a terrorist extension of the PKK, to integrate into the central state’s military and administrative structures. US Special Envoy Tom Barrack described this as the “greatest opportunity” for the Kurds, signaling a shift in Washington’s long-term strategy. Damascus has already taken control of Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor, areas vital for oil, gas, and water resources, while the SDF is expected to withdraw east of the Euphrates.
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Regarding Gaza, Erdogan thanked Trump for inviting Turkey to join the newly formed “Board of Peace.” This $1 billion-entry-fee body, chaired for life by Trump, aims to oversee the reconstruction of Gaza and manage the transition from Hamas to a technocratic Palestinian administration. While Turkey will coordinate with the US on the board’s “second phase,” many Western nations remain cautious of the plan. Trump, speaking before departing for the World Economic Forum in Davos, described the call as “very good,” noting that his Board of Peace could eventually “replace the UN” in conflict resolution.
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