Trump meets Syria's 'young, attractive' terrorist-turned-president after lifting US sanctions
What's the story
In a major diplomatic breakthrough, United States President Donald Trump has met with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia. Trump's meeting with al-Sharaa follows his recent decision to lift all US sanctions on Syria. The two leaders' talks took place for around half an hour, and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was also present. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan joined them by telephone. This landmark meeting is the first between US and Syrian presidents in 25 years.
Diplomatic milestone
A historic meeting after 25 years
It is viewed as a major step toward Syria's return to the global fold after the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime in 2024. Sharaa was listed on the 2013 US Specially Designated Global Terrorist list for leading al-Qaeda's Syrian affiliate, Al Nusra Front, and for orchestrating suicide bombings across Syria. He spent years fighting US soldiers in Iraq before moving to Syria to organize an armed Islamist uprising. Up until December, he had $10 million US bounty on his head.
Positive response
Sharaa hails Trump's decision to lift sanctions
After the meeting, Trump described Sharaa as a "young, attractive guy. Tough guy. Strong past. Very strong past. Fighter." Concurrently, Sharaa praised Trump's lifting of sanctions, calling it "a historic and courageous decision." He believes the move will relieve the suffering of the Syrian people, contribute to their rebirth, and lay the foundations for regional stability. Ordinary Syrians have welcomed the developments, seeing them as a sign that years of international isolation might finally be coming to an end.
Future prospects
Trump optimistic about Syria's future
Trump said he was optimistic about Sharaa being able to unify Syria, saying he had "a real shot at holding it together." He also said that the Syrian president had agreed to the idea of eventually joining the Abraham Accords, which would normalize Syria-Israel relations. During the meeting, Trump also urged that Sharaa take a number of steps, including normalizing relations with Israel, expelling foreign and Palestinian "terrorists," and helping the US in preventing the revival of ISIS.
Diplomacy
Netanyahu urges Trump not to lift sanctions
Last month, Sharaa reportedly told US congressman, Cory Mills, that Syria was willing to normalize relations with Israel and join the Abraham Accords under "the right conditions." According to Israeli media, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has encouraged President Donald Trump not to lift sanctions. He remains skeptical of Sharaa and his Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) forces, as well as other factions that include foreign fighters among their ranks. Removing the foreign fighters was reportedly one of Washington's demands.