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.
Hammam al-Hammami, the Flydubai co-pilot accused of stabbing the captain of an Israel-bound flight on ...
Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev warned against interference from outside actors in remarks at the 8th Congress of the New Azerbaijan Part...
A U.S. federal appeals court has temporarily halted Minnesota’s ban on AI-generated fake nude images after Elon Musk’s xAI challenged t...
Yemen's air force carried out 20 strikes on Houthi targets earlier on Friday, Brigadier General Majid Abdullah Al-Nuzaili, Spokesman for the Yemeni Armed Forces, said. Meanwhile, the Iran-backed Houthis denied targeting a power plant supplying energy to a mosque in Medina, Saudi Arabia.
Azerbaijan and Armenia will sign a final peace agreement once Armenia amends its constitution to remove territorial claims against Azerbaijan, Hikmat Hajiyev, Assistant to Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev, has said.
Passengers from a flydubai flight that was diverted to Saudi Arabia after an alleged attempt to crash the aircraft have arrived safely in Israel.
Ukraine is working to resolve a diplomatic dispute with South Korea after Kyiv publicly disclosed the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war to Seoul, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on Thursday, 1 October.
British counter-terrorism police have arrested a 27-year-old dual UK-Iranian national as part of an investigation into a suspected plot involving RAF Fairford, an airbase used by U.S. forces for operations against Iran.
Hammam al-Hammami, the Flydubai co-pilot accused of stabbing the captain of an Israel-bound flight on Wednesday in a suspected terrorist attack, was banned from flying by Oman over concerns about his radical views, U.S. media reported on Friday, citing people familiar with the matter.
A U.S. federal appeals court has temporarily halted Minnesota’s ban on AI-generated fake nude images after Elon Musk’s xAI challenged the law as unconstitutional.
Two Iranian nationals have been charged in Britain with preparing a suspected terrorist attack targeting the Jewish community in northern England, police said on Friday (2 October).
The United States suspended consular services at its embassy and consulates in Brazil on Friday over unspecified security concerns, prompting Australia to close its embassy in Brasília two days before the country's presidential election.
A retired Australian builder has arrived in Baku in his 1929 Pontiac Roadster during an epic journey from Bangkok to Istanbul, using the nearly century-old car to raise money for Parkinson’s research.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment