RIYADH, May 14, (Independent Newst Service) — U.S. President Donald Trump held a high-stakes meeting with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, urging the former insurgent leader to forge diplomatic ties with Israel as part of a broader U.S. push to reshape Middle East alliances.
The encounter, facilitated by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and joined virtually by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, followed Trump’s abrupt decision to lift decades-long U.S. sanctions on Syria’s Islamist-led government, raising eyebrows across the region.Trump, who described the meeting as “great,” met Sharaa—a figure once branded a terrorist by Washington for his al Qaeda affiliations—on the sidelines of a U.S.-Gulf summit in Riyadh.
Photos released by Saudi state media captured the two leaders shaking hands, with Trump smiling alongside the crown prince. The U.S. president encouraged Sharaa to emulate the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco, which joined the U.S.-brokered Abraham Accords in 2020 to normalize relations with Israel.
“He’s got a real shot at holding it together,” Trump told reporters, calling Sharaa a “young, attractive guy” with a “very strong past.”The meeting, the first between U.S. and Syrian leaders in 25 years, comes amid Syria’s fragile transition after Sharaa’s rebel coalition ousted Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.
The U.S. decision to lift sanctions, announced Tuesday, removes a $10 million bounty on Sharaa and aims to bolster his fledgling government. Yet, the move has sparked concern in Israel, where officials view Sharaa’s jihadist roots with deep suspicion, fearing a revitalized threat along their northern border.
Saudi Arabia, a key U.S. ally, played a pivotal role in orchestrating the talks, with the crown prince overseeing the Trump-Sharaa exchange. Erdogan, a vocal advocate for lifting Syrian sanctions, joined by phone, signaling Turkey’s growing influence in Syria’s reconstruction.
The White House framed the meeting as a chance for Sharaa to “do something historic,” urging him to expel foreign terrorists, curb Islamic State resurgence, and manage detention centers holding IS militants. Sharaa, in turn, pitched Syria as a trade hub, inviting U.S. firms to tap its oil and gas reserves.Trump’s Gulf tour, which excludes Israel, has drawn scrutiny for prioritizing business deals over traditional security alliances.
In Riyadh, he touted a $600 billion Saudi investment package, while in Qatar, he and Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani oversaw a $200 billion Boeing jet order for Qatar Airways. Trump dismissed claims that his trip sidelines Israel, insisting his regional ties are “very good for Israel.” However, Saudi Arabia’s reluctance to join the Abraham Accords without Palestinian statehood, coupled with escalating Israeli airstrikes in Gaza, underscores persistent regional tensions.The sanctions rollback, celebrated in Damascus with fireworks, aims to ease Syria’s economic collapse but risks legitimizing a government with a contentious past.
Critics question whether Trump’s gamble on Sharaa will stabilize Syria or embolden Islamist factions, while his push for Israel-Syria détente faces steep historical and political hurdles.
As Trump departed for Doha, where Qatari fighter jets escorted Air Force One, the region watched closely to see if his deal-driven diplomacy would yield lasting change or merely fleeting headlines.
Reporting by Middle East Correspondents; Editing by Global News Desk