During remarks in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Tuesday, President Donald Trump announced a bold action he will take to give one key Middle Eastern country a “chance at greatness,” marking a surprising diplomatic move from the United States during his international trip.
The president announced that, after discussing the situation in Syria with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and other respected Middle Eastern leaders, he would order the cessation of sanctions on the country.
“Syria, which has seen so much misery and death, there is a new government that will hopefully succeed in stabilizing the country and keeping peace, that’s what we want to see,” he said.
Syrian President Ahmed al-Shara rose to power following the overthrow of the former Assad regime, shaking things up in the Middle East. With the establishment of a new government in Syria, President Trump noted that he wanted to give the country a “chance at greatness.”
He explained, “They’ve had their share of travesty, war, [and] killing [for] many years. That’s why my administration has already taken the first steps toward restoring normal relations between the United States and Syria for the first time in more than a decade. And I’m very pleased to announce that Secretary Marco Rubio will be meeting with the new Syrian foreign minister in Turkey later this week.”
According to the U.S. State Department, Syria has long been designated as a “State Sponsor of Terrorism,” and additional sanctions were slapped on the country in 2004 and again in 2011.
President Trump will reportedly meet with President al-Shara on Wednesday during his Middle East trip and potentially while he is still in Saudi Arabia, per The New York Times.
“If the responsible nations of this region seize this moment, put aside your differences, and focus on the interests that unite you, then all of humanity will soon be amazed at what they will see right here in this geographic center of the world,” President Trump remarked on Tuesday.
