Published on 14/05/2025
U.S. President Donald Trump urged Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa to normalize relations with Israel during a sit-down meeting in Riyadh on Wednesday.
Trump told al-Sharaa he had the opportunity “to do a great job for the Syrian people,” and encouraged him to sign the Abraham Accords — a U.S.-led initiative which aims to normalize relations between Israel and Arab nations — and to “tell all foreign terrorists to leave Syria,” according to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt.
Speaking to the press on board Air Force One after the talks, Trump said: “I think they have to get themselves straightened up. I told him [al-Sharaa], ‘I hope you’re going to join when it’s straightened out.’ He said, ‘Yes.’ But they have a lot of work to do.”
Israel and Syria have technically remained in a perpetual state of war since the establishment of Israel in 1948, including decades of hostilities over disputed territory, particularly the Golan Heights.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was also present during the meeting, while Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan joined by phone.
Trump said his team had been in touch with Israel about his decision announced Tuesday to lift sanctions on Syria. “I mean, we told them we’re doing it. The reason I did it, and I think it’s been very popular, certainly in the Middle East.”
Trump added that he talked to Erdoğan and the Saudi leader who “thought it was important you do. It gives them a much better chance of survival as a country.”
Former jihadist
Ahead of the meeting, Trump shook hands with al-Sharaa, becoming the first U.S. president in 25 years to meet a Syrian leader.
Al-Sharaa, a former Islamist rebel and onetime jihadist, has received a cautious welcome from the international community since his forces toppled former President Bashar al-Assad last December.
Since taking power, al-Sharaa has pledged to protect Syria’s minority groups and implement more inclusive policies. However, a recent surge in sectarian violence raised concerns that al-Sharaa is struggling to rein in the country’s extremist factions.
The Syrian leader received resounding praise from Trump after their encounter, with the U.S. president telling reporters on Air Force One that he thought al-Sharaa was “great.”
“Young, attractive guy, tough guy. Strong past, very strong past — fighter. He’s got a real shot at holding it together,” Trump gushed.
“We are currently exploring normalizing relations with Syria’s new government,” Trump added during remarks at the Gulf Cooperation Council in Riyadh on Wednesday.
“I’m also ordering the cessation of sanctions against Syria to give them a fresh start. It gives them a chance for greatness,” he added.
Trump arrived in Riyadh on Tuesday as part of his four-day tour of the Gulf region. The trip includes stops in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, marking Trump’s first major foreign visit since his second inauguration.
