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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Here's your AnewZ Daily Brief for 11 November. Today, we cover Russia-Ukraine peace talks, political tensions in Washington, strikes in Spain, espionage allegations involving Nvidia's CEO, and climate negotiations at COP31 in Türkiye.
Four million workers across Spain joined a general strike on Wednesday over the country’s deepening housing crisis, unions said, bringing disruption to factories, ports, shops and public transport just weeks before a snap general election.
European leaders gathered in Dublin on Thursday, 12 November, for the ninth European Political Community (EPC) summit, with security, defence, energy cooperation and economic resilience topping the agenda. Azerbaijan’s role in regional peace and connectivity was also in focus.
Iran has unveiled a new underground missile and drone base, warning that it will respond forcefully to any attack, as tensions persist with the U.S. and oil tankers continue to be struck by naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz.
European leaders gathered in Dublin on Thursday, 12 November, for the ninth European Political Community (EPC) summit, with security, defence, energy cooperation and economic resilience topping the agenda. Azerbaijan’s role in regional peace and connectivity was also in focus.
Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang is stepping down amid reports linking him to a woman suspected by U.S. authorities of spying for China, throwing the future of the $4 trillion chipmaker into uncertainty.
Tajikistan is urging regional allies to step up support for its border with Afghanistan following a series of deadly armed incidents. Despite building more than 80 new border outposts, Dushanbe says it needs further assistance to secure its southern frontier.
Eight people have been killed and at least 17 injured after an apartment building collapsed into a neighbouring construction site in Brooklyn, New York, as rescuers continued searching the rubble for possible survivors.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has thanked U.S. President Donald Trump for facilitating talks between Russia and Ukraine, but warned that any foreign troops deployed in Ukraine would be considered legitimate targets by Moscow.
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