Trump meets Syrian president and lifts all sanctions in major policy shift
President Donald Trump made headlines on Wednesday when he met with Syria’s interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa in Riyadh. This meeting came just a day after Trump announced that he would be lifting all sanctions on Syria, a move that signals a major shift in policy towards the war-torn nation.
The last time leaders from the United States and Syria met was back in 2000 when former President Bill Clinton held talks with Syrian leadership. Trump’s informal chat with al-Sharaa took place on the sidelines of the Gulf Cooperation Council, where he was scheduled to address regional leaders as part of his four-day tour of the Middle East.
During the summit, Trump emphasized that normalizing relations with Syria was a step towards peace and rebuilding ties with the Syrian government. He mentioned his meeting with President Ahmed Al-Sharaa and Secretary Rubio’s meeting with the Syrian Foreign Minister in Turkey as the beginning of this process.
“I’m also ordering the cessation of sanctions against Syria to give them a fresh start. It gives them a chance for greatness. The sanctions were really crippling, very powerful,” Trump stated.
The announcement of lifting sanctions was met with celebrations in Syria, with people taking to the streets to express their joy. A statement from Syria’s Foreign Ministry described the move as “a pivotal turning point for the Syrian people as we seek to emerge from a long and painful chapter of war.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio is also set to meet with his Syrian counterpart later in the week, continuing the diplomatic efforts to strengthen ties between the two nations.
Trump expressed optimism about the future of Syria, stating that lifting sanctions would give the country a fresh start. He believes that this decision will provide Syria with a great opportunity to rebuild and move forward.
Overall, Trump’s meeting with al-Sharaa and the decision to lift sanctions on Syria mark a significant development in the relationship between the two countries. The move is seen as a positive step towards peace and stability in the region, and it will be interesting to see how this new chapter in US-Syria relations unfolds.
