France24
14 May 2025

US President Donald Trump met with Syrias interim leader, former insurgent Ahmed al-Sharaa, in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, marking the first such encounter between the two nations leaders in 25 years. Trump met al-Sharaa on the sidelines of a summit between the US and Gulf Arab countries, before he heads to Qatar.

US President Donald Trump met with Syria's leader in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, after a surprise US announcement it would lift all sanctions on the Islamist-led government, and said Washington was exploring the possibility of normalising ties with Damascus.

He made the comments during a summit between the United States and Gulf Arab countries. Trump met Syria's Ahmed al-Sharaa before the summit. Photos posted on Saudi state television showed them shaking hands in the presence of Saudi Arabia's crown prince.

Trump also urged Sharaa to normalise ties with Israel, a White House spokesperson said.

Despite concerns within sectors of his administration over Syria's leaders' former ties to Al Qaeda, Trump said on Tuesday during a speech in Riyadh he would lift sanctions on Syria in a major policy shift.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan joined Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, also known as MbS, virtually in the meeting, Turkey's Anadolu News Agency reported.

MbS told the summit Saudi Arabia commends Trumps decision to lift sanctions on Syria.

There is a new government that will hopefully succeed in stabilising the country and keeping peace, Trump said in a wide-ranging foreign policy address Tuesday in which he announced he was lifting the sanctions that have been in place in Syria since 2011. Thats what we want to see in Syria.

Watch moreDonald Trump's business-focused trip in the Middle East

Trump will also meet with leaders and representatives from the six Gulf Cooperation Council states: Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain,Qatar, Kuwait and Oman.

The diplomatic sitdowns followed a day dedicated to sealing billions of dollars in commercial agreements, with the United States and Saudi Arabiasigning a raft of deals involving energy, AI, weapons and tech.

The White House said that Riyadh would purchase nearly $142 billion in arms in what it described as the largest-ever weapons deal.

Washington said that Saudi company DataVolt was set to pour $20 billion in artificial intelligence-related projects in the United States.

Tech companies including Google will also invest in both countries likely welcome news for Saudi Arabia which has long faced restrictions securing advanced American technology.

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Qatar controversy

Trump was set to head toDohaaround midday.

The tiny Gulf country that is home to a sprawling US air base has also served as a mediator between Israel and Hamas on ending the devastating war in Gaza.

But the stop has largely been muddled by controversy following news that Trump planned on accepting a $400 million luxury plane as a gift from Qatar.

The Boeing airplane would serve as a new, more modern presidential jet and then be put to Trump's personal use once he leaves the White House.

The move raises huge constitutional and ethical questions as well as security concerns about using an aircraft donated by a foreign power as the ultra-sensitive Air Force One.

Chuck Schumer, the top Democrat in the Senate, on Tuesday vowed to hold up all Justice Department political appointees in protest over the move.

The visit to Qatar comes just days after Washington negotiated directly with Hamas to secure the release of a hostage with US citizenship, 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 but failed to end the war.

The initial phase of the truce ended in early March, with the two sides unable to chart a path forward. Israel resumed air and ground attacks across the Gaza Strip, blocked aid and pledged to conquer the territory.

On Tuesday, Israeli Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahusaid the military would enter Gaza "with full force" in the coming days, saying: "There will be no situation where we stop the war."

Trump was set to finish his tour of the Gulf with a final stop inAbu Dhabilater in the week.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)

Originally published on France24