RIYADH: U.S. President Donald Trump met with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, following an unexpected U.S. decision to lift all sanctions on Syria’s Islamist-led government.
Trump indicated that Washington is considering normalizing diplomatic relations with Damascus, according to Reuters.
The meeting took place ahead of a summit between the U.S. and Gulf Arab nations. Saudi state TV broadcast images of Trump and Sharaa shaking hands in the presence of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
According to a White House spokesperson, Trump also encouraged Sharaa to establish diplomatic relations with Israel.
Despite internal U.S. concerns about Sharaa’s past links to Al Qaeda, Trump announced during a speech in Riyadh on Tuesday that sanctions against Syria would be lifted — marking a significant policy shift.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan participated in the meeting virtually, according to Turkey’s Anadolu News Agency.
During the summit, Crown Prince bin Salman praised Trump’s decision to lift the sanctions on Syria.
The move comes despite Israel’s longstanding distrust of Sharaa’s leadership. Israeli officials, who have accused Sharaa of jihadist ties despite his break with Al Qaeda in 2016, have not yet responded to the development.
(Inputs from Reuters)
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