Just last week, U.S. President Donald Trump made his first overseas trip to Saudi Arabia. There, he was received by Syria’s newly appointed president, Ahmed al-Sharaa. This historic meeting was held just before Trump was scheduled to depart for Qatar. The decision represents a watershed moment in U.S.-Syria relations, coming on the heels of the removal of decades-old sanctions on the country.
Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former member of al-Qaeda who says he has repented, now heads Syria’s transitional government. His leadership comes after years of turmoil under the regime of Bashar Assad, who faced international condemnation for a brutal crackdown on anti-government uprisings that began in 2011. From 1979 onward, the U.S. government has designated Syria a state sponsor of terrorism. In 2004, for example, it enforced sanctions against the country, then proceeded to put forth additional restrictions in 2011.
The White House reported that Trump, during the meeting, “encouraged President al-Sharaa to do a great job for the Syrian people.” The U.S. president made clear that al-Sharaa should take bold steps to restore stability in Syria. The country can no longer stand years of unimaginable suffering and death.
“In 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,” – Donald Trump
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman set up the meeting between Trump and al-Sharaa. During the contentious negotiations, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan joined the talks remotely. Saudi Arabia and Turkey were instrumental in pressuring Trump to remove sanctions from Syria. They pushed him to make the effort and go one on one with al-Sharaa.
In his public remarks at the signing, Trump thanked both the Crown Prince and President Erdogan for their assistance. He stated that al-Sharaa has “a tremendous opportunity to do something historic in his country.” Retreating from Syria The removal of sanctions was hailed by Trump as an opportunity for Syria to work towards becoming “great again.”
“I will be ordering the cessation of sanctions against Syria in order to give them a chance at greatness,” – Donald Trump
Recent developments suggest we are on the verge of an important change in U.S. policy towards Syria. Establishing support for his new government under al-Sharaa is now where Trump wants to strike. This meeting could pave the way for improved relations between the United States and Syria, contingent upon al-Sharaa’s ability to stabilize the nation and address its ongoing challenges.
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