Trump Welcomes Al-Sharaa at White House, Supports Syria’s Rebuilding Efforts
Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa held a landmark meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday, marking an unprecedented diplomatic move in Syria’s history, according to The Associated Press.
Political Breakthrough
Al-Sharaa, who toppled Bashar Al-Assad’s regime in December and ended a brutal chapter of Syria’s history, has become the first Syrian leader to visit the US since the country’s independence in 1946.
The meeting represented a turning point and political breakthrough for Damascus as the US President has waived sanctions on Syria, marking the latest move to further support Syria’s new government.
During the talks, Trump said he wanted to see Syria become “a very successful country,” noting, “I think this leader can do it.”
Lifting Sanctions
He also urged the Congress to remove a 2019 law, the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act, which imposed the toughest sanctions on Syria. He further issued a 180-day extension on a waiver that he had first granted in May.
“People say he’s had a rough past,” Trump continued. “We’ve all had rough pasts — and, frankly, if you didn’t have a rough past, you wouldn’t have a chance.”
Syrian American Relations
The Syrian Presidency stated that the meeting has boosted the bilateral ties between Damascus and Washington and explored ways to further enhance cooperation. The statement added that both leaders discussed several regional and international issues of mutual concern.
Meanwhile, Syria’s Foreign Ministry announced that Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani held a significant meeting in Washington with both US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.
The meeting centered on the significance of accelerating the integration of the US-backed, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces into the Syrian army.
New Chapter
The Syrian Information Minister noted that Syria has recently signed a political cooperation declaration with the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, noting that the agreement is political and “until now contains no military components.”
Before Al-Sharaa’s visit to the White House, the UN Security Council voted on Thursday to remove Al-Sharaa from a terrorism sanctions list.
This diplomatic step received support by the United States which urged for lifting all sanctions to allow the new Syrian President to travel more freely, without needing to wait for waivers for some trips.
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Syrian President Al-Sharaa Arrives in US for Talks with Trump
