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.
Russia carried out a large-scale air attack on the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv overnight and into Saturday evening, killing at least four people and injuring more than 60 others, including a baby, according to local officials.
Kazakhstan is on the verge of awarding a major contract for its first-ever nuclear power plant, with bidders from China, Russia, France, and South Korea still in the running.
The UK government has pushed back its plans to regulate artificial intelligence by at least a year, opting instead to prepare a more wide-ranging bill covering both safety and copyright issues.
A 30-year-old woman was shot by police in Munich on Saturday evening after stabbing two people at Theresienwiese, a central park best known for hosting Oktoberfest.
Military personnel at a barracks just a stone’s throw from Windsor Castle were warned not to leave the grounds in uniform after a man was arrested.
Kazakhstan is on the verge of awarding a major contract for its first-ever nuclear power plant, with bidders from China, Russia, France, and South Korea still in the running.
The UK government has pushed back its plans to regulate artificial intelligence by at least a year, opting instead to prepare a more wide-ranging bill covering both safety and copyright issues.
A 30-year-old woman was shot by police in Munich on Saturday evening after stabbing two people at Theresienwiese, a central park best known for hosting Oktoberfest.
Military personnel at a barracks just a stone’s throw from Windsor Castle were warned not to leave the grounds in uniform after a man was arrested.
The world’s largest amateur golf tournament, the Turkish Airlines World Golf Cup, has made its debut in Kazakhstan’s capital, Astana.
Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) has confirmed it carried out a third targeted attack against the Crimean Bridge, also known as the Kerch Bridge, early Tuesday morning, marking a new escalation in the ongoing conflict with Russia.
A strong 6.3 magnitude earthquake shook Japan’s Hokkaido prefecture early Monday, causing no reported injuries or damage, and no tsunami warning was issued, officials confirmed.
U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected to speak this week to discuss recent trade tensions, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.
Peace talks between Russia and Ukraine ended abruptly in Istanbul on Monday, lasting just over an hour amid mounting tensions following a major Ukrainian drone strike on Russian strategic bombers and renewed pressure from the U.S. for a breakthrough.
Eid al-Adha, known as the "Festival of Sacrifice," stands as one of Islam's most significant celebrations, commemorating Prophet Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son in obedience to Allah's command.
Kenya has directed its tea factories to suspend ties with the Rainforest Alliance, saying the cost of ethical certification is too high for struggling smallholder farmers.
Rwanda has officially withdrawn from the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), citing political bias and obstruction by the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Azerbaijan and the Czech Republic held regular political consultations in Prague, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry announced.
The UK government has pushed back its plans to regulate artificial intelligence by at least a year, opting instead to prepare a more wide-ranging bill covering both safety and copyright issues.
A 30-year-old woman was shot by police in Munich on Saturday evening after stabbing two people at Theresienwiese, a central park best known for hosting Oktoberfest.
Kazakhstan is on the verge of awarding a major contract for its first-ever nuclear power plant, with bidders from China, Russia, France, and South Korea still in the running.
The UK government has pushed back its plans to regulate artificial intelligence by at least a year, opting instead to prepare a more wide-ranging bill covering both safety and copyright issues.
A 30-year-old woman was shot by police in Munich on Saturday evening after stabbing two people at Theresienwiese, a central park best known for hosting Oktoberfest.
Military personnel at a barracks just a stone’s throw from Windsor Castle were warned not to leave the grounds in uniform after a man was arrested.
The world’s largest amateur golf tournament, the Turkish Airlines World Golf Cup, has made its debut in Kazakhstan’s capital, Astana.
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