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Riyadh [Saudi Arabia], May 14 (ANI): US President Donald Trump met with Syrian interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa on Wednesday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The meeting, which also included Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and a phone-in from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, focused on a range of pressing international issues. Chief among them were efforts to resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict and to address the ongoing war in Gaza. President Trump used the occasion to press Syria to join the Abraham Accords with Israel.
Turkish President Erdogan praised Trump for lifting sanctions on Syria and pledged cooperation with Saudi Arabia to foster peace and prosperity in the war-torn country. Sharing details on X, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt noted that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman called Trump’s decision to lift sanctions “courageous.”
In response, Trump expressed gratitude to both Erdogan and the Crown Prince for their friendship and support. Addressing President Al-Sharaa directly, Trump said he has a “tremendous opportunity” to do something historic for Syria. He encouraged the Syrian leader to sign onto the Abraham Accords with Israel, expel all foreign terrorists from Syrian territory, deport Palestinian militants, help the United States prevent the resurgence of ISIS, and assume control of ISIS detention centers in northeast Syria.
President Al-Sharaa thanked the leaders for convening the meeting and acknowledged the opportunity created by Iran’s diminishing presence in Syria. He emphasized shared US-Syrian goals in eliminating terrorism and chemical weapons. He also reaffirmed Syria’s commitment to the 1974 disengagement agreement with Israel and expressed hopes that Syria could become a vital trade link between the East and West. Al-Sharaa extended an invitation to American companies to invest in Syria’s oil and gas sector.
The 1974 Israel-Syria disengagement agreement, reached after the 1973 Yom Kippur War, had established a ceasefire and created a UN-monitored buffer zone between the two nations to reduce military tensions.
The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs also posted images from the meeting on X, writing, “A meeting brings together HRH the Crown Prince, the US President, and the Syrian President in Riyadh, with the Turkish President participating via phone.”
The meeting is part of President Trump’s four-day tour of the Gulf, marking his first official state visit since retaking office in January. His itinerary includes stops in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. It is Trump’s second foreign trip since returning to the presidency, following his attendance at Pope Francis’s funeral in Rome in April.
Trump Announces Plan to Lift Sanctions on Syria After Assad’s Fall
Riyadh [Saudi Arabia], May 14 (ANI): On Tuesday, during the Saudi-US Investment Forum 2025, President Trump announced his intention to lift long-standing US sanctions on Syria, citing the fall of the Assad regime late last year. Trump framed the move as a chance to promote peace and opportunity in a country long devastated by war.
“This will give them a chance at greatness,” Trump stated, adding that the decision followed consultations with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Speaking at the forum, Trump noted that his administration had already initiated steps to restore diplomatic relations with Syria—the first such effort by the US in over a decade.
As part of the broader diplomatic thaw, Trump revealed that Secretary of State Marco Rubio would meet with Syria’s foreign minister in Turkey later this week to further diplomatic engagement. According to CNN, the Assad regime collapsed during the final months of the Biden administration in December, prompting a reassessment of US policy toward Damascus.
“The sanctions were brutal and crippling and served an important function at the time,” Trump said. “But now it’s their time to shine. So I say, ‘Good luck, Syria.’ Show us something very special.” Trump voiced optimism that Syria’s new leadership could stabilize the country and keep the peace.
Ahmad al-Sharaa, Syria’s interim president, was previously a founder of the militant group Jabhat al-Nusra but reportedly severed ties with al-Qaeda in 2016. A White House official confirmed that Trump would informally greet al-Sharaa in Riyadh on Wednesday, signaling a continued thaw between the two nations.
Trump’s visit to the Middle East began on May 13, with stops in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. (ANI)
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