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Trump meets Syria’s ‘attractive, tough’ president after lifting US sanctions Trump meets Syria’s ‘attractive, tough’ president after lifting US sanctions
(about 1 hour later)
US president meets Ahmed al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia as lifting of sanctions is met with jubilation in Damascus US president talks to Ahmed al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia as lifting of sanctions is met with jubilation in Damascus
Donald Trump has met Syria’s president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, in Saudi Arabia, telling the former jihadist he had an “extraordinary opportunity”, and said Washington is exploring normalising ties with Damascus, a day after an announcement that all US sanctions on Syria would be lifted. Donald Trump has met Syria’s president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, in Saudi Arabia, telling the former jihadist he had an “extraordinary opportunity”.
Trump also said Washington is exploring normalising ties with Damascus, a day after an announcement that all US sanctions on Syria would be lifted.
The US president met Sharaa, a former militant who fought against US forces in Iraq and had a $10m US bounty on his head until December 2024, alongside the Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, for about half an hour before a conference of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) as part of his four-day visit to the Middle East.The US president met Sharaa, a former militant who fought against US forces in Iraq and had a $10m US bounty on his head until December 2024, alongside the Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, for about half an hour before a conference of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) as part of his four-day visit to the Middle East.
It was the first meeting between a US and a Syrian president for 25 years and a key milestone for Syria’s reintegration into the international arena after the toppling of Bashar al-Assad’s regime. Trump told reporters onboard Air Force One after the meeting that Sharaa was a “young, attractive guy. Tough guy. Strong past. Very strong past. Fighter.” It was the first meeting between a US and a Syrian president for 25 years and a key milestone for Syria’s reintegration into the international arena after the toppling of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in 2024.
Sharaa later hailed Trump’s decision to lift sanctions as “a historic and courageous decision, which alleviates the suffering of the people, contributes to their rebirth and lays the foundations for stability in the region”. Trump told reporters onboard Air Force One after the meeting that Sharaa was a “young, attractive guy. Tough guy. Strong past. Very strong past. Fighter.”
Sharaa, 42, later hailed Trump’s decision to lift sanctions as “a historic and courageous decision, which alleviates the suffering of the people, contributes to their rebirth and lays the foundations for stability in the region”.
In a late-night television address, he said: “Syrians, the road before us is still long. Today we begin the real work, with which modern Syria will be reborn.”In a late-night television address, he said: “Syrians, the road before us is still long. Today we begin the real work, with which modern Syria will be reborn.”
Ordinary Syrians watched the images of their president standing beside the leaders of the US and Saudi Arabia on their TV screens in amazement. For many it was a sign that 15 years of international isolation could finally be coming to an end.Ordinary Syrians watched the images of their president standing beside the leaders of the US and Saudi Arabia on their TV screens in amazement. For many it was a sign that 15 years of international isolation could finally be coming to an end.
Stalls that had popped up by Damascus’s Ummayad mosque after the fall of Assad in December now sold the Saudi flag alongside the Syrian – thanks for Saudi’s role in helping arrange the Trump-Sharaa meeting.Stalls that had popped up by Damascus’s Ummayad mosque after the fall of Assad in December now sold the Saudi flag alongside the Syrian – thanks for Saudi’s role in helping arrange the Trump-Sharaa meeting.
“For 15 years the world had this picture of us Syrians as refugees. Now they see us as we are. You can finally see light and you can see hope,” said Hossam al-Khouli, 50, the owner of a handicraft shop in Damascus’s old city.“For 15 years the world had this picture of us Syrians as refugees. Now they see us as we are. You can finally see light and you can see hope,” said Hossam al-Khouli, 50, the owner of a handicraft shop in Damascus’s old city.
Behind Khouli was a wall filled with handmade mirrors and boxes inlaid with Damascus’s famed mother-of-pearl. It was rare that he sold pieces these days, he said, as Syria had had few tourists over the last 15 years. Trump and Sharaa’s meeting seemed to him a sign that soon he might have plenty of visitors to sell to.Behind Khouli was a wall filled with handmade mirrors and boxes inlaid with Damascus’s famed mother-of-pearl. It was rare that he sold pieces these days, he said, as Syria had had few tourists over the last 15 years. Trump and Sharaa’s meeting seemed to him a sign that soon he might have plenty of visitors to sell to.
“When Trump spoke last night, it was the first time in my life that I listened to any president in the world and began to clap. He’s a great man, really, he is a great man,” Khouli said, smiling.“When Trump spoke last night, it was the first time in my life that I listened to any president in the world and began to clap. He’s a great man, really, he is a great man,” Khouli said, smiling.
Trump also seemed pleased with the meeting. He said he thought Sharaa had a “real shot at holding it [Syria] together” and that the Syrian president had agreed to eventually join the Abraham accords, which would normalise Syrian ties with Israel. The United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco signed the US-brokered accords in 2020.Trump also seemed pleased with the meeting. He said he thought Sharaa had a “real shot at holding it [Syria] together” and that the Syrian president had agreed to eventually join the Abraham accords, which would normalise Syrian ties with Israel. The United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco signed the US-brokered accords in 2020.
“[I am] ordering the cessation of sanctions against Syria to give them a fresh start,” Trump told the GCC. “It gives them a chance for greatness. The sanctions were really crippling, very powerful.”“[I am] ordering the cessation of sanctions against Syria to give them a fresh start,” Trump told the GCC. “It gives them a chance for greatness. The sanctions were really crippling, very powerful.”
According to a White House spokesperson, Trump urged Sharaa to “deport Palestinian terrorists”, help the US against Islamic State, and to deal with the country’s remaining chemical weapons stock.According to a White House spokesperson, Trump urged Sharaa to “deport Palestinian terrorists”, help the US against Islamic State, and to deal with the country’s remaining chemical weapons stock.
The meeting, which Trump said had come at the urging of Prince Mohammed and the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, was remarkable as the Trump administration had previously been wary of engaging with Sharaa, a former leader of the Islamist rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham who has sought to moderate his image in recent years. Sharaa previously led the Syrian wing of al-Qaida before cutting ties with the group in 2016.The meeting, which Trump said had come at the urging of Prince Mohammed and the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, was remarkable as the Trump administration had previously been wary of engaging with Sharaa, a former leader of the Islamist rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham who has sought to moderate his image in recent years. Sharaa previously led the Syrian wing of al-Qaida before cutting ties with the group in 2016.
It was the culmination of months of diplomacy by the new Syrian government, which overthrew Assad’s regime at the end of the last year, as well as their Turkish and Saudi allies, who believed face time with Trump would help end Syria’s international isolation. Damascus had prepared a pitch to Trump that included access to Syrian oil, reassurances of Israel’s security and a proposal to build a Trump tower in Damascus. It was the culmination of months of diplomacy by the new Syrian government, which overthrew Assad’s regime at the end of the last year, as well as their Turkish and Saudi allies, who believed face time with Trump would help end Syria’s international isolation.
Damascus had prepared a pitch to Trump that included access to Syrian oil, reassurances of Israel’s security and a proposal to build a Trump tower in Damascus.
Trump later arrived in Qatar for the second leg of his Middle East trip, where he oversaw the signing of a $96bn order from Qatar Airways for up to 160 Boeing aircraft and a statement of intent for more than $38bn in future defence investments.Trump later arrived in Qatar for the second leg of his Middle East trip, where he oversaw the signing of a $96bn order from Qatar Airways for up to 160 Boeing aircraft and a statement of intent for more than $38bn in future defence investments.
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Sanctions were originally imposed on Assad after his bloody crackdown on peaceful protesters in 2011, and the US and other countries retained their economic embargo on Syria as they evaluated the new Islamist-led government in Damascus.Sanctions were originally imposed on Assad after his bloody crackdown on peaceful protesters in 2011, and the US and other countries retained their economic embargo on Syria as they evaluated the new Islamist-led government in Damascus.
A key concern for the US in Syria is the protection of religious minorities. The Trump administration released a sharply worded statement urging Damascus to protect minorities after attacks by pro-Assad forces sparked revenge killings of nearly 900 mostly Alawite civilians in north-west Syria in March.A key concern for the US in Syria is the protection of religious minorities. The Trump administration released a sharply worded statement urging Damascus to protect minorities after attacks by pro-Assad forces sparked revenge killings of nearly 900 mostly Alawite civilians in north-west Syria in March.
The US state department had handed the Syrians a 12-point list of conditions to end sanctions, which included protection of minorities and the US maintaining the right to conduct strikes against what it considered “terrorists” on Syrian soil. They were in the process of negotiating when Trump suddenly announced the lifting of US sanctions on Tuesday night at an investment conference in Saudi Arabia. The US state department had handed the Syrians a 12-point list of conditions to end sanctions, which included protection of minorities and the US maintaining the right to conduct strikes against what it considered “terrorists” on Syrian soil.
They were in the process of negotiating when Trump suddenly announced the lifting of US sanctions on Tuesday night at an investment conference in Saudi Arabia.
It came despite Israeli suspicions of the Islamist government in Damascus. Israel has said it will not allow government forces to deploy in southern Syria, and it has carried out dozens of airstrikes across the country in recent months.It came despite Israeli suspicions of the Islamist government in Damascus. Israel has said it will not allow government forces to deploy in southern Syria, and it has carried out dozens of airstrikes across the country in recent months.
The end of US sanctions will be a step towards reintegrating Syria into the international economic system and a boost to the battered economy trying to rebuild after 14 years of civil war.The end of US sanctions will be a step towards reintegrating Syria into the international economic system and a boost to the battered economy trying to rebuild after 14 years of civil war.
The announcement of the end of sanctions was met with jubilation in Damascus. Beeping cars waving Syrian flags filled the country’s capital. A traditional Syrian band played in the city’s old quarter, the beats of the drums accompanied by whooping cheers. Social media in Syria was meanwhile filled with videos of Trump dancing, his signature double-fist pump set to Syrian anthems. The announcement of the end of sanctions was met with jubilation in Damascus. Beeping cars waving Syrian flags filled the country’s capital.
A traditional Syrian band played in the city’s old quarter, the beats of the drums accompanied by whooping cheers. Social media in Syria was meanwhile filled with videos of Trump dancing, his signature double-fist pump set to Syrian anthems.
“Everyone is happy and in the streets. Thank God, a thousand times thank God,” said Omar al-Nafa, who works in education.“Everyone is happy and in the streets. Thank God, a thousand times thank God,” said Omar al-Nafa, who works in education.
Syria’s economy is battered from 14 years of war, with the UN estimating more than 90% of the population lives in poverty. Much of the country’s housing stock is destroyed and basic services such as electricity and internet remain dysfunctional.Syria’s economy is battered from 14 years of war, with the UN estimating more than 90% of the population lives in poverty. Much of the country’s housing stock is destroyed and basic services such as electricity and internet remain dysfunctional.
Syria’s new government set ambitious goals to rebuild the country but was hampered by severe economic sanctions. Under US sanctions, Syria had no access to the international Swift banking system, and international businesses were reluctant to trade with the country for fear of falling foul of the US treasury.Syria’s new government set ambitious goals to rebuild the country but was hampered by severe economic sanctions. Under US sanctions, Syria had no access to the international Swift banking system, and international businesses were reluctant to trade with the country for fear of falling foul of the US treasury.
Nafa said: “It will take some time for it to be actually implemented, but hopefully it will help the economy.”Nafa said: “It will take some time for it to be actually implemented, but hopefully it will help the economy.”