Trump meets Syria’s al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia
DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – U.S. President Donald Trump met on Wednesday with Syrian Transitional President Ahmad al-Sharaa in Riyadh, marking the first meeting between a Syrian and American president in 25 years.
The historic encounter took place a day after Trump announced in the Saudi capital that the United States would lift sanctions on Syria, offering Syria an opportunity to move toward peace and reform.
The last meeting between leaders of the two countries occurred in 2000, when former Syrian President Hafez al-Assad met with then-U.S. President Bill Clinton in Geneva as part of the Middle East peace process.
According to Saudi media, Wednesday’s meeting brought together President Trump, al-Sharaa, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who joined online. The discussion in Riyadh reportedly lasted around 33 minutes.
The White House confirmed that the bilateral meeting between Trump and al-Sharaa took place prior to a broader summit of Gulf leaders during the president’s regional tour.
According to a Syrian government source who spoke to North Press, President al-Sharaa arrived in Riyadh on Tuesday aboard a Boeing 737 that departed from Damascus International Airport. The aircraft, the source noted, belonged to the Saudi Ministry of Finance and Economy.