Riyadh, Saudi Arabia — U.S. President Donald Trump met with Syrian interim leader Ahmed al-Sharaa on Wednesday, marking a historic step toward normalizing relations between the two nations. The meeting, held on the sidelines of a summit with Gulf state leaders, was the first between a U.S. president and a Syrian leader in decades.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan joined Trump and Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud online during the discussions, according to Türkiye’s state-run Anadolu Agency.
In his speech at the summit, Trump highlighted the significance of the meeting. “The normalization of relations between the United States and Syria begins today,” he declared. He also extended an invitation to Syria to join the U.S.-brokered Abraham Accords to normalize relations with Israel.
“I believe that a new era of peace and cooperation is upon us,” Trump said. “Syria’s inclusion in the Abraham Accords would be a monumental step forward.”
Despite this optimistic outlook, tensions remain high due to Israel’s ongoing military actions in Syria following the ouster of former President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.
In a major policy shift, Trump announced at an investment forum in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday that he would lift sanctions on Syria. “I will be ordering the cessation of sanctions against Syria in order to give them a chance at greatness,” he stated, emphasizing the United States’ commitment to rebuilding relations with Damascus.
During the summit, Trump also addressed the ongoing indirect talks with Iran concerning Tehran’s nuclear program and the potential lifting of U.S. sanctions. “I want to make a deal with Iran,” he said. “But for that to happen, it must stop sponsoring terror, halt its bloody proxy wars, and permanently and verifiably cease its pursuit of nuclear weapons.”
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi responded sharply to Trump’s comments, accusing him of “sheer deception by misplacing the true source of threat.”
Trump’s Middle East tour marks his first major foreign visit since taking office, with stops in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. On Tuesday, he secured investment commitments worth $600 billion from the Gulf nation.
