Donald Trump shakes hands with Syria’s interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa in Riyadh. Image: NDTV.
In a significant diplomatic development, US President Donald Trump met with Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The meeting, which took place on Wednesday, followed Trump’s announcement of the lifting of longstanding US sanctions on Syria, a move that has generated both hope and apprehension internationally.
Ahmed al-Sharaa, 42, has undergone a notable transformation on the Syrian political landscape. Previously known as Abu Mohammad al-Julani, he was the leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an Islamist group that was once an affiliate of al-Qaeda in Syria. HTS is still designated as a terrorist organization by the UN, US, and UK. Al-Sharaa severed ties with al-Qaeda in 2016. The US had a $10 million bounty on his head, which was only lifted in December 2024.
Since his forces toppled the Assad regime in December 2024, al-Sharaa has adopted a more mainstream political image, appearing in Western business suits and presenting himself as a president for all Syrians. He was appointed to lead Syria for an unspecified transitional period and tasked with forming an interim legislature.
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Landmark meeting
The meeting in Riyadh, facilitated by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan reportedly joining by telephone, marked the first direct talks between a US and Syrian president in 25 years. Trump, on his first official four-day tour of the Gulf, described al-Sharaa as a “young, attractive guy. Tough guy. Strong past, very strong past. Fighter,” and suggested he has a “real shot at holding it together.”
The encounter was described as short but significant, lasting about 37 minutes. It occurred a day after Trump announced the lifting of sweeping US sanctions against Syria, a policy shift that garnered a standing ovation at a US-Saudi investment forum in Riyadh. This decision was a notable reversal from Trump’s previous social media posts indicating “no interest in Syria.”
The lifting of sanctions is seen as a crucial step for the war-torn nation. For over a decade, Syria has been crippled by civil war and international isolation, with an estimated 70% of its population living in poverty. The removal of restrictions, which cut Syria off from the international financial system, is hoped to enable greater engagement by aid agencies, encourage foreign investment and trade, and potentially convince some of the millions of Syrian exiles to return.
Hind Kabawat, minister of social affairs and labour in the interim Syrian government, told the BBC’s Newshour programme, “It’s a new light at the end of this tunnel,” expressing that they had been calling for sanctions relief since their “Liberation Day.”
However, dismantling the complex web of sanctions will be a gradual process. Dina Esfandiary of Bloomberg Economics commented, “Some sanctions can be removed immediately using presidential waivers. But lifting the multi-layered sanctions won’t be easy and will require real commitment by the Trump administration.”
Maseeha Saloojee, a South African living in Syria, commented on the geopolitical dynamics in an interview with Salaamedia, stating, “Syria has always been a point of interest for countries across the world. This is going back centuries. It’s been a centre for the world in terms of that link between the East [and] the West. It’s rich in oil, it’s rich in so many resources.”
She also offered a perspective on Trump’s motivations: “The US has come to a point where they’re not going to get what they want unless they also make some concessions. Donald Trump … is a very sly person. He knows what he’s looking for and he knows when to appear to be on the side of people and when to appear the opposite.”
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Future outlook and regional implications
President Trump has made it clear that he expects concessions from Syria in return for full normalization of relations, with a key demand being that Syria join the Abraham Accords – a series of US-brokered normalization agreements between Israel and several Arab nations. Trump told reporters that al-Sharaa had indicated a willingness to join the accords once Syria is “straightened out.”
Reports suggest that Israel has been holding secret talks with Syrian officials, mediated by the United Arab Emirates or Qatar, regarding the possibility of the new Syrian regime joining the Abraham Accords. While Israel initially expressed deep skepticism about al-Sharaa, there are now indications that Israel views the lifting of sanctions favourably and sees a potential for Syria to move away from Iranian influence.
However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had reportedly urged Trump not to lift the sanctions, remaining suspicious of al-Sharaa and HTS. Another US demand is the removal of foreign fighters from Syria.
Saloojee cautioned about the path ahead for the new Syrian leader: “Ahmed al-Sharaa should be careful because it looks like it’s going to be a standoff. He also knows how to play the game very well, after many years of playing in the public eye.”
The decision to engage with al-Sharaa has been met with jubilation by many ordinary Syrians, who see it as a sign that 15 years of international isolation could be ending.
As Syria embarks on this new chapter, the actions of its new leadership and the sustained engagement of international powers will be critical in determining whether this “chance at greatness,” as Trump termed it, translates into tangible improvements for the Syrian people and lasting stability in the region.
