US President Donald Trump said he will order the removal of "brutal and crippling" US sanctions on Syria after consultations with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and other regional leaders.
"After discussing the situation in Syria with the crown prince, your crown prince, and also with President Erdogan of Türkiye, who called me the other day and asked for a very similar thing, among others, and friends of mine, people that I have a lot of respect for in the Middle East, I will be ordering the cessation of sanctions against Syria in order to give them a chance at greatness," Trump said on Tuesday in Riyadh as he addressed an investment forum.
He was referring to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who was in attendance.
"I really believe we like each other a lot," US President Donald Trump says during a meeting with the Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
"But now it's their time to shine. It's their time to shine. We're taking them all off," Trump said of Syria. "So, I say, 'Good luck Syria. Show us something very special, like they've done, frankly, in Saudi Arabia.’"
The confirmation of the move comes one day after Trump acknowledged he was considering removing US sanctions on Syria. His determination is the latest to come from Western leaders as they seek to lift economic penalties imposed on Damascus during the rule of the since-ousted Bashar al-Assad regime.
Assad, who ruled Syria for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia on Dec. 8, marking the end of the Baath Party’s rule that began in 1963, after anti-regime groups took control of Damascus.
French President Emmanuel Macron said last week that the EU would gradually lift sanctions on Syria as he hosted Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Paris.
The international conference in Paris, which will also host envoys from Türkiye and several Gulf nations, aims to address security and economic challenges in Syria’s rebuilding process after Bashar Assad’s ousting.
Trump to meet al-Sharaa
Trump has also agreed to meet al-Sharaa during his visit to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, according to a White House official.
"The president agreed to say hello to the Syrian president while in Saudi Arabia tomorrow," said the official, requesting anonymity.
The meeting is expected to take place in Riyadh, where Trump arrived early on Tuesday as part of his first overseas trip since taking office in January.
His regional tour also includes planned visits to Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Trump said Secretary of State Marco Rubio will meet Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani in Türkiye "later this week."
President Erdogan reaffirms Türkiye’s long-standing support for Syria, saying his country will continue to provide them with the required support in the new period.
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