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U.S. Ambassador to Türkiye Tom Barrack on Wednesday rejected suggestions that his recent visit to northeastern Syria undermined Turkish interests, asserting the trip was conducted to advance security objectives shared by Ankara and Washington.
Barrack, who also serves as Special Envoy for Syria, traveled to Hasakah as an emissary to monitor implementation of a March 10 agreement between the Syrian Democratic Forces and the Syrian government. In a statement posted on X, he described the accord as critical to stability in Syria and to the strategic interests of both Türkiye and the United States.
"Any suggestion that the visit involved activities undermining Türkiye's national interests or territorial integrity is entirely unfounded," Barrack wrote.
The ambassador also addressed what appeared to be controversy over a map, calling accusations about it "totally ridiculous." He said claims regarding "a map that I had never seen in a meeting room in which I had never been" were baseless attempts to suggest he was undermining Turkish interests.
The ambassador emphasized his engagement in Hasakah was conducted "with full transparency and in the spirit of promoting regional stability, counterterrorism coordination, and humanitarian access—all of which directly serve Türkiye's security and economic interests."
Türkiye has long opposed U.S. engagement with the SDF, viewing the group as a terrorist organization with ties to the PKK, which both Ankara and Washington designate as a terrorist group.
"My mission was—and remains—centered on advancing cooperative mechanisms that reduce cross-border threats and support the broader goal of regional peace and reconstruction," Barrack stated.
The March 10 agreement Barrack referenced aims at establishing frameworks between the SDF and Damascus, though details of the accord have not been widely publicized. The ambassador's visit comes as the United States seeks to balance its operations in Syria with maintaining its strategic partnership with Türkiye, a NATO ally.
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