In a move signaling a possible shift in United States foreign policy toward Syria, U.S. President Donald Trump met with Syria’s interim president Ahmed Al-Sharaa in RiyadhRiyadh on Wednesday 14 May, the first encounter between U.S. and Syrian leaders in over two decades. The meeting, held on the sidelines of a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit, also included Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who joined via video call. It comes months after Al-Sharaa, previously known as the leader of the insurgent group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), seized power following the collapse of the Assad regime. Trump announced that the U.S. would lift long-standing sanctions on Syria on Tuesday 13 May, a decision hailed by Saudi Arabia but criticized by Israel. Trump described the move as a step toward offering “a chance at peace” for the war-torn nation. Al-Sharaa’s rise marks the end of over five decades of Assad family rule. In January 2025, his HTS-led offensive stormed Damascus, swiftly toppling the regime. While controversial, his interim leadership has garnered support from several states such as Egypt and Saudi Arabia, who see him as…
Trump Meets Syria’s New Leader Ahmed Al-Sharaa in Riyadh, Lifts U.S. Sanctions
May 14, 2025
