Beautiful Virgin Islands

Friday, Jun 13, 2025

Trump Meets Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara in Historic Encounter

First U.S.-Syria presidential meeting in 25 years follows announcement of U.S. sanctions relief on Damascus
U.S. President Donald Trump met with Syria’s new president, Ahmad al-Shara—also known as Abu Mohammad al-Julani—in a closed-door meeting held on the sidelines of a summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The engagement marks the first direct dialogue between an American and Syrian president since the 2000 meeting between Bill Clinton and Hafez al-Assad in Geneva.

The encounter followed an announcement by the U.S. administration declaring the removal of long-standing economic sanctions against Syria.

According to reports, the decision was influenced by diplomatic overtures from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Both leaders reportedly advocated for the meeting and broader regional engagement with Damascus.

Ahmad al-Shara, formerly a senior figure in al-Qaeda and the leader of the Islamist militant group Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, assumed leadership of Syria after the fall of the Assad regime.

His political transformation and rebranding have attracted cautious international attention.

Al-Shara has previously been the subject of a U.S. bounty offering up to $10 million for information leading to his capture due to his involvement in militant activities in Iraq.

Officials in Washington have not released specific details about the meeting, including its attendees or discussion points.

However, reports indicate that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman participated in person, while President Erdoğan joined remotely.

The meeting was not open to press coverage.

The policy shift toward Syria has drawn mixed reactions globally.

In Israel, some senior officials have expressed concerns regarding al-Shara’s past affiliations and potential strategic implications, warning of the risk of a militant-led regime gaining international legitimacy.

Despite this, al-Shara was recently received at the Élysée Palace in Paris, where he held talks with French President Emmanuel Macron.

Following the U.S. announcement, celebrations erupted across several Syrian cities, including Damascus, Latakia, Idlib, Tartus, Hama, and Homs.

Citizens were seen waving Syrian and Saudi flags, with some chanting slogans thanking Riyadh for its diplomatic role.

At least three people were reported killed in celebratory gunfire.

The U.S. sanctions, originally imposed under the Assad regime, had significantly curtailed Syria’s access to international financial systems, stifled foreign investment, and hampered reconstruction efforts.

The current administration has stated that the lifting of sanctions is intended to provide Syria with an opportunity to rebuild and rejoin the global economy.

The White House indicated that Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to meet with Syria’s foreign minister in Turkey later this week to continue diplomatic discussions.

President Trump is expected to continue his Middle East tour with upcoming visits to Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, following his participation in the Gulf Cooperation Council summit.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Two Women Found Dead in Eryri National Park
Operation "Like a Lion": Israel Strikes Iran in Unprecedented Offensive
Pentagon Initiates Review of AUKUS Nuclear Submarine Pact
Meta to Invest $15 Billion in Scale AI to Advance AGI Goals
Rare Cancer Cases Triple Among Millennials, Alarming Doctors
G7 Finance Ministers Convene in Canada with Focus on Ukraine and Trade Tariffs
UK Spending Review Prioritizes Health and Defence Amid Budget Constraints
US Raises Security Concerns Over Proposed Chinese Embassy in London
Defined Benefit Pension Reforms Expected to Unlock Limited Investment
UK Industrial Strategy Launch Delayed Amid Budget Negotiations
Crick Institute Seeks Additional Funding to Attract International Scientists
Zia Yusuf Returns to Reform UK in New Role After Brief Resignation
Bezos's Lavish Venice Wedding Sparks Local Protests
US Urges UK to Raise Defence Spending to 5% of GDP
Europe Prepares for Historic Lunar Rover Landing
Italian Parents Seek Therapy Amid Lengthy School Holidays
British Fishing Vessel Seized by France Fined €30,000
Dutch Government Collapses Amid Migration Policy Dispute
Germany Moves to Expedite Migrant Deportations
UK Commits to 3.5% GDP Defence Spending Under NATO Pressure
Scientist Returns Royal Society Prize in Protest Over Elon Musk's Fellowship
Chancellor Proposes 'Housing Bank' and £25 Billion Social Housing Boost
UK Retail Sales Growth Slows in May Amid Consumer Caution
Home Secretary Directed to Find Budget Savings to Protect Police Funding
Rolls-Royce Secures Government Backing for UK's First Small Modular Nuclear Reactors
Domestic Buyers Capitalize on London Property Market as Non-Doms Retreat
Nvidia CEO Criticizes UK's Digital Infrastructure Amid £1 Billion AI Investment Pledge
UK Commits Additional £11.5 Billion to Sizewell C Nuclear Project
UK Unemployment Reaches Near Four-Year High as Wage Growth Slows
Chancellor Reinstates Winter Fuel Payments for Majority of Pensioners
Simone Biles and Riley Gaines Clash Over Transgender Athletes in Women's Sports
California Governor Disputes National Guard Deployment Amid Rising Tensions
Protests Erupt in Los Angeles with Symbolic Flag Burning
Israeli Forces Intercept Gaza-Bound Aid Vessel Carrying Greta Thunberg
IMF Warns of Severe Global Trade War Impacts on Emerging Markets
US and China Engage in Trade Discussions in London Amid Ongoing Tensions
Low Turnout Jeopardizes Italy's Citizenship Reform Referendum
EU Lawmaker Calls for Broader Exemptions in Supply Chain Legislation
France's Defense Spending Plans Threatened by High National Debt
European Small-Cap Stocks Outperform U.S. Rivals Amid Growth Revival
Switzerland Proposes $26 Billion Capital Increase for UBS
Germany's Merz Signals Continued U.S. Reliance After Meeting with Trump
Transatlantic Interest Rate Divergence Widens as Trump Pressures Powell
Sam Altman's Eye-Scanning Digital ID Project Launches in UK
Qualcomm to Acquire UK's Alphawave in $2.4 Billion Deal
Syria to Reconnect to Global Economy After 14 Years of Isolation
Trump Administration Issues New Travel Ban Targeting 12 Countries
Man Group Mandates Full-Time Office Return for Quantitative Analysts
JPMorgan Warns Analysts Against Accepting Future-Dated Job Offers
Builder.ai Faces Legal Scrutiny Amid Financial Misreporting Allegations
×