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Türkiye has moved beyond its conventional role as a natural energy bridge between Europe and Asia, emerging as a strategic hub that not only facilitates regional energy flows but also expands its political and diplomatic influence. Following its critical role in transporting Caspian gas to Europe, Türkiye is now working to deliver Azerbaijani gas to Syria. This signals that Türkiye is no longer merely a technical transit country but an actor contributing to reconstruction efforts in post-conflict zones through energy diplomacy.
This new energy connection strengthens Türkiye’s regional position and serves as an important tool for Syria’s reintegration into the international community. At the 9th OPEC International Seminar held in Vienna on July 9, 2025, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar announced that the natural gas networks of the two countries had been successfully connected. This indicates the completion of the technical infrastructure and the beginning of a new phase in energy diplomacy. His statement, “We will soon supply gas to Syria,” reflects not only the delivery of energy but also the reestablishment of regional engagement that has been disrupted for many years.
The project plans to supply 6 million cubic meters of natural gas per day from Kilis to Aleppo, where the gas will be used to produce electricity at a local power plant. Providing natural gas to Aleppo, a city with heavily damaged infrastructure, is not just a technical achievement. It plays a critical role in reviving social life.
From Azerbaijan to Syria
A notable development is Azerbaijan’s involvement in the process. Bayraktar stated that SOCAR may potentially become a partner in the project. This indicates that Azerbaijan is expanding its energy diplomacy into a new geographical region. SOCAR’s participation in this trilateral setup opens a new pathway to the Middle East for Azerbaijan, which is already recognized as a reliable supplier for Europe. Within this triangle, Syria is the most vulnerable actor but also stands to gain the most.
Although Azerbaijan is geographically close to the Middle East, its political, economic and diplomatic ties to the region have historically been limited. Since gaining independence in 1991, Azerbaijan has focused on transporting Caspian energy to Western markets, resolving the Karabakh conflict, strengthening its relationship with Türkiye and maintaining a strategic balance with Russia. In this context, the Middle East has not been a priority in Azerbaijan’s foreign policy. Despite sharing a border with Iran, Azerbaijan has had limited trade or diplomatic interaction with Arab countries. The export of Azerbaijani gas to Syria through Türkiye represents the country’s first indirect entry into the Middle Eastern market. Rather than involving military or political action, this move is part of a soft power strategy based on energy diplomacy.
The visit of Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa to Azerbaijan in July 2025 marked an important milestone in energy relations. The most significant outcome of the visit was the signing of a memorandum of understanding between SOCAR and the Syrian Ministry of Energy for the supply of natural gas. This agreement is one of the first concrete steps by an international actor to support the reconstruction of Syria’s energy infrastructure. It confirms that Azerbaijani gas will be delivered to Syria via Türkiye as a transit route. Syria, where infrastructure has been severely damaged by civil war, is currently facing electricity outages that last 15 to 20 hours a day. The gas supplied by Azerbaijan is expected to help reduce these outages and contribute to energy security for both industrial and residential sectors.
The agreement with SOCAR is not limited to natural gas supply. It is also viewed as the beginning of a long-term cooperation that may include infrastructure development and technical training. The outcomes of al-Sharaa’s visit had both economic and diplomatic importance. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev emphasized the value of constructive dialogue with the new Syrian administration and framed the energy partnership as part of efforts to promote regional stability.
Israeli attacks against prosperity
Israeli airstrikes in Syria in July 2025 have once again raised concerns about the fragile stability in the region. These attacks have created uncertainty about the future of energy diplomacy in Syria. A security crisis on Syrian territory not only affects military dynamics but also undermines the sustainability of energy infrastructure and the motivation of external actors to engage. The gas diplomacy pursued by Türkiye and Azerbaijan with Syria is more than a technical arrangement. It carries political meaning and symbolizes a broader effort toward normalization in the region.
The realization of this energy cooperation depends not only on pipeline construction but also on the political legitimacy of the governments involved, their recognition by the international community and the overall security environment. Although Israel’s attacks did not directly target energy facilities, any action that undermines the regime’s ability to maintain security poses a serious risk to the continuation of infrastructure projects. It also creates a climate of uncertainty for investor countries. For state-owned energy companies like SOCAR, operating in unstable regions increases diplomatic risks and may result in more cautious approaches. This situation could delay or even force Azerbaijan to reconsider its strategy of entering the Middle Eastern market through Türkiye. If instability in Syria escalates, the southern dimension of Türkiye’s energy hub vision will be undermined. At the same time, the viability of broader projects such as reactivating the Arab Gas Pipeline or advancing the Qatar-Türkiye corridor may be adversely affected. These challenges will not only impact Türkiye’s energy policies but also weaken the prospects of alternative energy routes in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The EastMed pipeline, once the flagship project of the East Mediterranean Gas Forum, has faced significant technical and financial obstacles. The 1,900-kilometer (1,180-mile) deep-sea pipeline, intended to connect Israel and Cyprus to Greece, suffered a major blow when the U.S. withdrew its support in 2022. Compared to this, a land route through Syria that connects with Türkiye’s existing infrastructure is shorter, more technologically feasible and more cost-effective.
Now that the EastMed project has effectively been shelved and Syria is reemerging as a potential actor in energy diplomacy, the Israeli airstrikes have dealt a serious blow to these efforts. Current tensions have increased the geopolitical risks associated with a land corridor through Syria and may discourage countries such as Lebanon from participating. Türkiye’s goal of becoming a regional energy hub relies on expanding its maritime jurisdiction through bilateral agreements, thereby gaining greater access to gas reserves in the Mediterranean.
Although the East Mediterranean Gas Forum has long sought to exclude Türkiye, Türkiye’s recent announcement of its intention to initiate maritime boundary negotiations with Syria suggests that such an agreement could shift the regional energy balance by expanding the exploration areas of both countries. Nevertheless, a stable and engaged Syria presents a challenge to the future energy projections of the forum’s member states. The recent Israeli airstrike should not be viewed solely as a military operation. It appears to have been aimed at disrupting the fragile diplomatic momentum behind long-stalled maritime negotiations in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Türkiye outlined its strategic vision clearly at the 2025 Istanbul Energy Summit, which brought together ministers from major gas-producing countries such as Azerbaijan, Libya and Uzbekistan, as well as transit states like Georgia and gas-importing nations from Eastern Europe. Türkiye seeks to become the primary corridor connecting gas producers in the East and South to European markets. Syria, however, remains a fragile and contested area, where tensions persist among Iran, Israel, Russia, the U.S. and various opposition forces. In this complex environment, Türkiye’s ability to implement a strategic energy initiative highlights both its diplomatic coordination skills and its technical capabilities.
