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.
According to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, 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.”
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.
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.
“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.
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