Trump meets the President of Syria, a day after the promise to lift US sanctions

President Trump held an extraordinary meeting on Wednesday with the President of Syria, Ahmed Al-Sharra, a day after announcing that the United States will raise the sanctions on his country-a step that would reduce economic strangulation over a nation that is essential in the stability of the Middle East.

This was the first time in 25 years that the leaders of the two countries met, and another teacher in Syria’s attempt to reintegrate itself into the international community after decades of isolation. A White House official said the two men spoke for half an hour before the summit of Gulf leaders in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Mr. Trump told Mr. Shara that “he has a huge opportunity to do something historical in his country,” according to a summary of the meeting from the White House press secretary, Caroline Levitte. He also urged President Al -Sharra to take steps to normalize Syria’s relations with Israel, which was long ago hostileThe summary said that “all foreign terrorists” to leave the country.

Mr. Trump met Mr. Al -Shara at the invitation of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the actual ruler of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, who participated in the meeting.

President Recep Thiapest Erdogan from Türkiye, which supported the rebellion that brought Mr. Sharra to power, joined the phone. Prince Muhammad and Mr. Erdogan urged Mr. Trump to lift the sanctions against Syria, and praised this step at the meeting on Wednesday, where the Prince described the Crown Prince as “brave”, according to the White House summary.

The meeting was also an amazing shift for Mr. Sharra, a former villain who led the rebel alliance that toppled the dictator Bashar al -Assad in December, who once led a branch of the base before breaking the relations with the jihadist group and sought to modify his image. The United States has set the armed Sayyid Al -Shara group as a terrorist organization, and has dropped its offer with a reward of up to 10 million dollars to obtain information about it only five months ago.

A statement issued by the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the meeting as “historic” and said that Mr. Trump “confirmed that the administration in Washington is committed to playing a positive and constructive role during this sensitive period.”

Prince Faisal bin Farhan, the Saudi Foreign Minister, said in a press conference later on Wednesday that “many opportunities, capabilities and resources” in Syria were “one of the most important points of discussion” at the meeting. He said: “It has resources, and most importantly, it has people who are able: the educated population and the knowledge that eager to transfer Syria to a new stage.”

The meeting was held on the second day of Mr. Trump’s tour in the Middle East for a period of four days, which is the first major trip abroad from his second term. The first day focused on a large part of it Business dealsIncluding defense equipment and artificial intelligence infrastructure.

Mr. Trump cultivated diplomatic and commercial relations with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the comfortable relations of Gulf leaders have provided an opportunity to pressure to lift sanctions on Syria, many of which see decisive in economic collapse and preventing the new conflict that can spread beyond the country’s borders.