Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (on the right in the photo) greeting Syrian President Ahmad al-Chareh, under the watch of American President Donald Trump, in Riyadh on May 14, 2025. (Credit: AFP/Saudi Royal Palace/Bandar al-Jaloud.)
Donald Trump met on Wednesday in Riyadh with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, whom he asked to normalize relations with Israel, following his announcement the previous day of a spectacular lifting of sanctions against Damascus.
The meeting, initially announced by Washington as brief and informal, actually lasted about thirty minutes, specifically from 10:07 to 10:40 local time, according to the White House. During this meeting, Trump asked Sharaa to join the "Abraham Accords."
According to the official Turkish news agency, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan joined the conversation online. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman also participated, according to a photo published by the official Saudi news agency, which shows a handshake between the American president and the new Syrian head of state, who came to power in December at the head of a coalition of Islamist forces that overthrew Bashar al-Assad.
Trump announced on Tuesday that he would "order the lifting of sanctions against Syria," which heavily impact the country's economy, depleted after 14 years of civil war. This decision was particularly demanded by Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Syria has been subject to international sanctions since 1979, but they were strengthened after the Assad regime's crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrations in 2011.
'Chance for greatness'
Trump stated that this strong gesture would "give [Syria] a chance for greatness," alluding to his famous slogan "Make America Great Again." The Syrian diplomacy rejoiced, calling it a "decisive turning point," after the European Union, the United Kingdom, and Canada had already eased their own sanction regimes.
Sharaa was also received with honors at the Elysee by French President Emmanuel Macron, who urged him on May 7 to protect "all Syrians without exception" in the face of violence and abuses between various Syrian communities.
The lifting of sanctions means that "Washington has accepted Saudi Arabia's guarantees to legitimize the new Syrian administration," said Rabha Seif Allam from the al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies in Cairo. It will allow Damascus to "receive the necessary funding to relaunch the economy, impose the authority of the central government, and launch construction projects with clear support from the Gulf," she added.
The news was met with celebrations in Syria, where dozens of men, women, and children gathered on Tuesday night at the Umayyad Square in Damascus.
The Trump-Sharaa meeting took place despite Israel's reluctance, the United States' unwavering ally.
Trump then met, still in Riyadh, with leaders and representatives of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, namely Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, and Oman, six states undergoing significant economic transformation and whose diplomatic influence now far exceeds the Gulf region. After Saudi Arabia, the U.S. president is visiting neighboring Qatar on Wednesday, followed by the United Arab Emirates on Thursday. He had lavishly praised the region's governments on Tuesday, criticizing "interventionist" Western diplomatic strategies.
Iran and Gaza
Originally, Trump visited the region to sign significant economic agreements. In Saudi Arabia, the White House claimed to have secured $600 billion in investments. Riyadh showcased all its splendor for Trump, and Doha, where he visits later on Wednesday, is expected to do the same.
The former real estate mogul's discussions with Qatari leaders will be overshadowed by a brewing political scandal in Washington. The U.S. Democratic opposition accuses the billionaire of having accepted "the largest foreign bribe in recent history." At issue: a Boeing 747-8 offered to Trump by the Qatari royal family to temporarily replace his official plane, and for use after his term. The president responded that the plane was a "temporary gift."