Trump Meets Syrian President, Announces Plans to Lift Sanctions and Normalize Ties
Saudi Arabia publicly praised the lifting of sanctions.

U.S. President Donald Trump met with Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, May 14, marking the first meeting between U.S. and Syrian leaders in 25 years.
The meeting happens a day after Trump announced that the United States is considering normalizing relations with Syria and plans to lift all sanctions imposed on the country.
🇺🇸 On his visit to #Riyadh on Tuesday, #US President Donald #Trump met with #Syria's interim leader Ahmed #alSharaa.
Our international affairs commentator @dougf24 explains why the optics of this meeting are significant ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/0SEUhR4MhA
— FRANCE 24 English (@France24_en) May 14, 2025
As reported, during the meeting, Trump urged al-Sharaa to normalize ties with Israel by joining the Abraham Accords, expel Palestinian militants labelled as terrorists, and to take responsibility for ISIS detention facilities in northeastern Syria.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman attended the meeting and publicly commended Trump’s decision to lift sanctions on Syria, signaling strong regional support for this policy shift.
This move represents a significant change in U.S. policy towards Syria, which has been under harsh sanctions for over two decades, especially targeting the previous Assad regime.
The sanctions were lifted despite Israeli concerns about al-Sharaa’s former ties to jihadist groups, although he severed those ties in 2016.
The lifting of sanctions has been welcomed by Gulf states eager to invest in Syria’s reconstruction, which has been hindered by sanctions.
This development signals a new chapter in U.S.-Syria relations with broad implications for Middle East geopolitics and reconstruction efforts in Syria,