Photo: Alamy
President Donald Trump held a historic meeting on Wednesday in Saudi Arabia with interim Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa in the first engagement between American and Syrian leaders in over two decades.
The encounter, which took place on the sidelines of Trump’s summit with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) leaders, signaled a potential shift in U.S.-Syria relations as Damascus attempts to emerge from decades of isolation.
The meeting followed Trump’s announcement, made during the launch of his three-nation Middle East tour, that he intended to lift longstanding U.S. sanctions on Syria. The sanctions were imposed during the regime of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
“I am ‘ordering the cessation of sanctions against Syria to give them a fresh start,’” Trump told the GCC following his meeting with al-Sharaa. “It gives them a chance for greatness. The sanctions were really crippling, very powerful.”
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan joined the conversation via phone, as Turkey has supported al-Sharaa and his faction. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman also took part in the meeting. Trump credited the crown prince’s encouragement for his decision to lift sanctions.
“We commend the decision made yesterday by President Trump to lift the sanctions on the brotherly Syrian Arab Republic, which will alleviate the suffering of the Syrian people,” the crown prince said in a statement to the GCC.
According to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, Trump pressed al-Sharaa to formally recognize Israel, expel foreign terrorists from Syria and work with the U.S. to prevent an Islamic State resurgence. Trump also requested that Syria take control of over a dozen detention facilities currently managed by Kurdish-led forces, which hold approximately 9,000 suspected Islamic State militants.
This development could pave the way for a complete American military withdrawal from Syria. Trump also noted that he wanted to make a deal with Iran, but that the nation had to stop sponsoring terrorism ahead of any discussions.
“I want to make a deal with Iran. I want to do something if possible,” Trump said. “But for that to happen, it must stop sponsoring terror, halt its bloody proxy wars, and permanently and verifiably cease its pursuit of nuclear weapons.”
