US President Donald Trump will briefly meet Syria’s new President Ahmad al-Sharaa during his visit to Saudi Arabia, in a move signalling potential policy shifts towards Damascus.
US President Donald Trump has agreed to meet Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa in Riyadh on Wednesday during his official visit to Saudi Arabia, a White House official confirmed on Tuesday.
"The president agreed to say hello to the Syrian president while in Saudi Arabia tomorrow," said the official, who requested anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the meeting.
The encounter is expected to take place in the Saudi capital, where Trump arrived early Tuesday as part of his first international trip since taking office in January. His Middle East tour also includes visits to Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
Trump hinted at a possible easing of sanctions on Syria, raising the prospect of a major shift in Washington’s approach to Damascus. Speaking to reporters before his departure for Saudi Arabia, Trump stated: “We’re going to have to make a decision on the sanctions, which we may very well relieve. We may take them off Syria because we want to give them a fresh start.”
He added that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and “many people” had encouraged a re-evaluation of the punitive measures.
The development comes amid growing international interest in Syria’s post-conflict future. The country has begun emerging from nearly 15 years of devastating civil war that left hundreds of thousands dead and millions displaced.
The war’s political landscape changed dramatically in late 2024 when long-time Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad fled to Russia on 8 December. His departure marked the collapse of the Baath Party’s decades-long rule, which began in 1963. Control of Damascus was soon taken by opposition groups, leading to the rise of Ahmad al-Sharaa as Syria’s new president.
While no formal US-Syria talks have been announced, the upcoming meeting in Riyadh may represent a first step towards re-establishing limited diplomatic engagement between the two countries.
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