Riyadh (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – On Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump met with Syria’s president in Saudi Arabia and encouraged him to establish relations with Israel, a long-standing rival, following an unexpected U.S. declaration lifting all sanctions on the Islamist-led government.
Before a summit between the United States and Gulf Arab countries, Trump met with Syria’s Ahmed al-Sharaa. Saudi state television aired photos showing their handshake, with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, known as MBS, present. It has been reported that Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan participated virtually alongside Trump and MBS in the meeting.
Trump encouraged Sharaa to align with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco, which established normalised relations with Israel through the U.S.-mediated Abraham Accords in 2020, according to the White House press secretary.
Why did Trump lift sanctions on Syria now?
On Tuesday, during a speech in Riyadh, Trump announced a significant policy shift, stating he would lift sanctions on Syria, despite apprehensions within parts of his administration regarding the former connections of Syria’s leaders to Al Qaeda.
“I will be ordering the cessation of sanctions against Syria in order to give them a chance at greatness,”
At the beginning of a tour of Gulf Arab nations, Trump addressed an investment forum in Riyadh states.
“It’s their time to shine. We’re taking them all off,”
Trump said,
“Good luck ,Syria, show us something very special.”
He noted that Washington is considering normalising relations with Syria’s government, starting with his meeting with Sharaa.
Could Saudi Arabia finally join the Abraham Accords?
Moreover, the United States is also optimistic that Saudi Arabia will become a part of the Abraham Accords. Conversations regarding this matter were interrupted following the outbreak of the Gaza war, and the kingdom maintains that normalisation is impossible without the establishment of a Palestinian state. On Tuesday, Trump stated that Saudi Arabia would join the accords at its own pace.
Is Trump’s Middle East tour reshaping regional alliances?
As reported, On his first day of a four-day tour in the Gulf region, Trump experienced a grand ceremony and secured business agreements, notably a $600 billion pledge from Saudi Arabia to invest in the U.S. and $142 billion in arms sales to the kingdom.
On Wednesday, Trump is scheduled to travel to Doha, the capital of Qatar, for a state visit with Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and additional officials. As a vital U.S. ally, Qatar is anticipated to reveal investments worth hundreds of billions of dollars in the United States.
Trump visited Doha after the White House revealed plans to accept a Boeing 747-8 from Qatar, which will be equipped to function as Air Force One.
After his trip to Qatar, Trump will head to Abu Dhabi for meetings with UAE leaders on Thursday. He is scheduled to return to Washington on Friday, although he mentioned the possibility of flying to Turkey for a potential discussion between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
