Trump Becomes First US President In 25 Years To Meet Syrian Leader As He Lifts Assad-Era Sanctions
Donald Trump became the first US president in 25 years to meet a Syrian leader on Wednesday after he offered sanctions relief in hopes of offering a new path to the war-battered country.
Trump, in Riyadh on the first state visit of his second term, met with Ahmed al-Sharaa, an erstwhile Islamist guerrilla turned interim president after the December overthrow of longtime strongman Bashar al-Assad.
The two held brief talks ahead of a larger gathering of Gulf leaders in Saudi Arabia during Trump's tour of the region, a White House official said.
No US president has met a Syrian leader since Bill Clinton saw Hafez al-Assad, Bashar's father, in Geneva in 2000 in a failed effort to persuade him to make peace with Israel.
Trump announced on Tuesday that he was lifting 'brutal and crippling" Assad-era sanctions on Syria in response to demands from Sharaa's allies in Turkey and Saudi Arabia — in his latest step out of tune with US ally Israel.
Trump said it was Syrians' 'time to shine" and that easing sinctions would 'give them a chance at greatness".
Syrians celebrated the news, with dozens of men, women and children gathering in Damascus's Umayyad Square.
'My joy is great. This decision will definitely affect the entire country positively. Construction will return, the displaced will return, and prices will go down," said Huda Qassar, a 33-year-old English-language teacher.
The Syrian foreign ministry called Trump's decision a 'pivotal turning point" that would help bring stability.
The United States imposed sweeping restrictions on financial transactions with Syria during the brutal civil war and made clear it would use sanctions to punish anyone involved in reconstruction so long as Assad remained in power without accountability for atrocities.
Trump gave no indication that the United States would remove Syria from its blacklist of state sponsors of terrorism — a designation dating back to 1979 over support to Palestinian militants that severely impedes investment.
– Opening way for investment –
Other Western powers including the European Union have already moved to lift sanctions but the United States had earlier held firm on conditions.
A senior envoy of the Joe Biden administration met Sharaa in Damascus in December and called for commitments, including on the protection of minorities.
In recent weeks, Syria has seen a series of bloody attacks on minority groups, including Alawites — the sect of the largely secular Assad family — and the Druze.
Israel has kept up a bombing campaign against Syria both before and after the fall of Assad, with Israel pessimistic about change under Sharaa and hoping to degrade the military capacity of its longtime adversary.
Rabha Seif Allam of the Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies in Cairo said that the easing of US sanctions would allow Syria to reintegrate with the global economy, including by allowing bank transfers from investors and some of the millions of Syrians who fled during the civil war.
'Lifting sanctions will give Syria a real opportunity to receive the funding needed to revive the economy, impose central state authority and launch reconstruction projects with clear Gulf support," she said.
– Qatar plane controversy –
Trump will also attend a meeting of Gulf Arab states in Riyadh before flying on to Qatar.
The Doha visit comes after controversy over Qatar's offer to Trump of a $400 million luxury aircraft to serve as a new Air Force One and then go to his personal use.
The move raises major constitutional and ethical questions — as well as security concerns about a foreign power donating the ultra-sensitive presidential jet.
Chuck Schumer, the top Democrat in the Senate, on Tuesday vowed to hold up all Justice Department political appointees in protest over the move.
Qatar has been a key intermediary with Hamas, helping Washington negotiate directly the release this week from Gaza of joint US-Israeli national Edan Alexander.
Qatar, alongside Egypt and the United States, hammered out a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza that came into effect on January 19 — a day before Trump's inauguration.
Israel has ended the ceasefire and vowed a new offensive to finish Hamas. It has blocked all aid from entering Gaza for more than two months, prompting warnings of impending famine.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - AFP)
Watch India Pakistan Breaking News on CNN-News18. Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from geopolitics to diplomacy and global trends. Stay informed with the latest world news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated!
Location :
Saudi Arabia
First Published:
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Deccan Herald
33 minutes ago
- Deccan Herald
Russian rouble weakens against US dollar after fresh EU sanctions
The Russian rouble weakened against the U.S. dollar and China's yuan on Friday after the European Union agreed on its 18th package of sanctions against Russia over its war in Ukraine, which included measures against the Russian energy industry. As of 1245 GMT, the rouble was 0.8% lower at 78.70 per U.S. dollar, according to data compiled by LSEG, based on over-the-counter quotes. The rouble is up about 45% against the dollar since the start of the year. The rouble, insulated from global financial flows by Russian currency controls and Western sanctions, remained strong despite a change in the attitude of U.S. President Donald Trump toward Russia in recent weeks. Analysts said the new EU sanctions will have little impact. The rouble is receiving support from more foreign currency sales by the central bank. "Sanctions will increase pressure on the Russian economy, but their effect may be limited. Russia will continue to reorient its exports towards Asia," Russian Agricultural Bank analysts said in a research note. The EU will set a moving price cap on Russian crude at 15% below its average market price, but Russia has so far managed to sell most of its oil above the previous price cap as the current mechanism makes it unclear who must police its implementation. The last time the rouble took a hit from Western sanctions was when the U.S. imposed sanctions on Gazprombank, which handled Russia's energy trade, in November 2024. The rouble rallied against all major currencies early this year, in large part due to hopes for a U.S.-mediated peace deal with Ukraine, which have since evaporated.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Donald Trump sparks outrage by demanding Washington Commanders name reversal request
Donald Trump sparks outrage by demanding Washington Commanders name reversal request (Image via Getty) On July 20, 2025, President Donald Trump used his Truth Social account to call for an immediate change of the NFL's Washington Commanders back to the Washington Redskins and MLB's Cleveland Guardians back to the Cleveland Indians. He wrote that 'our great Indian people, in massive numbers, want this to happen' and urged team owners to 'GET IT DONE!!!' Trump argued that restoring the old titles would honour Indigenous heritage rather than erase it. US President Donald Trump urges Washington Commanders to return to Redskins name US President Trump's post appeared on Sunday, July 20, on Truth Social, a platform he launched after leaving office. He declared that the Washington 'Whatever's' must 'IMMEDIATELY change their name back to the Washington Redskins Football Team' and added that fans are clamouring for the move . He also insisted that the Cleveland Indians name carry more history than the current Guardians label, though baseball's 'original six' term applies to hockey, not baseball . Donald Trump said the renaming is not about disrespect but preserving 'heritage and prestige' for Native Americans. US President Donald Trump also wants Cleveland Guardians to bring back Indians name The football franchise began as the Boston Braves in 1932, became the Boston Redskins in 1933, and moved to Washington in 1937. The club used the Redskins name until 2020, briefly played as the Washington Football Team, then rebranded to Commanders in 2022 after criticism of the old name's offensiveness. Cleveland dropped 'Indians' and its 'Chief Wahoo' logo after 2021, adopting Guardians to respect calls against racial stereotypes. Both owners, Josh Harris of Washington and Chris Antonetti of Cleveland, have said they plan no further changes. Also Read: 'She Is Very Talented': Melania Trump Defied Donald Trump With Taylor Swift Praise While Travis Kelce Stood Loyal By Her Side Despite Donald Trump's request, neither franchise has signalled a reversal. Commanders owner Josh Harris told reporters in February that the new name embodies modern values and team spirit. Guardians president Chris Antonetti has similarly defended the current identity, saying it unites players and supporters under a fresh banner. FAQs 1. When did Donald Trump call for the Washington Redskins name return? On July 20, 2025, Trump posted the demand on Truth Social. 2. Why did the Redskins and Indians change their team names? They changed names due to criticism that the old names were offensive to Native Americans. 3. Who owns the Washington Commanders and Cleveland Guardians? Josh Harris owns the Commanders; Chris Antonetti leads the Guardians. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
India Today
an hour ago
- India Today
Trump completes six months in White House, calls US 'most respected country'
Time flies! US President Trump said as he celebrated the six-month anniversary of his second term. He also called the United States the "hottest" and "most respected country anywhere in the world." In a post on Truth Social on Sunday, Trump praised his leadership and claimed he had turned the country around in just half a year."Wow, time flies!" he wrote. "Today is that Sixth Month Anniversary of my Second Term. Importantly, it's being hailed as one of the most consequential periods of any President."advertisementHe said that six months is "not a long time to have totally revived a major Country," and that just a year ago, "our Country was DEAD, with almost no hope of revival." According to him, the US is now doing better than ever. "Today the USA is the 'hottest' and most respected Country anywhere in the World," Trump added. His celebratory message comes amid poll results showing that many Americans disapprove of his performance so NUMBERS DROP OUTSIDE GOP BUT TRUMP REMAINS CONFIDENTAlthough Trump painted a glowing picture of his presidency, public opinion paints a more complicated story. According to Decision Desk HQ, about 52.7% of US adults disapprove of the president's performance, while 44.6% approve. A separate poll from The Economist/YouGov reported that Trump's disapproval rating is currently the highest it's been since his second term approval on immigration, one of his key issues, has also dropped. A Reuters/Ipsos poll showed only 41% of Americans approve of his handling of immigration policies. That's down from 43% in June. The same 41% also said they approve of his overall performance as president—the lowest reading of his second so, Trump remains upbeat about his support within the Republican Party and among his base. In another Truth Social post, he wrote, "My Poll Numbers within the Republican Party, and MAGA, have gone up, significantly, since the Jeffrey Epstein Hoax was exposed by the Radical Left Democrats and, just plain 'troublemakers.'"He claimed support among Republican voters was as high as 95% in some polls. "They have hit 90%, 92%, 93%, and 95%, in various polls, and are all Republican Party records. The General Election numbers are my highest, EVER! People like Strong Borders, and all of the many other things I have done. GOD BLESS AMERICA. MAGA!" he comments also come shortly after he directed Attorney General Pam Bondi to release grand jury records tied to the Jeffrey Epstein case. The decision followed growing pressure to uncover more details about the financier's alleged crimes and his connections to powerful individuals.- Ends
