Trump Meets Syrian President, Seeks Support To Stop ISIS Resurgence
President Donald Trump on Wednesday met with newly elected Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa at the King Abdulaziz Conference Center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as part of his diplomatic tour of Gulf countries.
The high-profile meeting, which was also joined via phone by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, marked the first face-to-face engagement between a U.S. president and a Syrian leader in over a decade.
The meeting, held at the invitation of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, focused on regional stability and the fight against terrorism, particularly the resurgence of ISIS in Syria and neighboring Iraq.
In a statement released on X by White House spokesperson, Karoline Leavitt, the U.S. President urged Al-Sharaa to take immediate steps to ensure Syria does not become a safe haven for terrorists again.
“President Trump encouraged President Al-Sharaa to do a great job for the Syrian people, and urged him to: sign onto the Abraham Accords with Israel, expel all foreign terrorists from Syrian territory, deport Palestinian terrorists, help the United States prevent the resurgence of ISIS, and take full responsibility for ISIS detention centers in Northeast Syria,” the statement read.
Erdogan, who joined the meeting remotely, commended President Trump’s recent decision to lift U.S. sanctions on Syria, calling it a bold move that could pave the way for reconciliation in the war-torn country.
He pledged Turkey’s cooperation with both Saudi Arabia and the United States to promote peace and economic recovery in Syria.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman also agreed with Erdogan, describing Trump’s decision as “courageous” and expressing optimism that Syria could turn a new page under Al-Sharaa’s leadership.
On his part, Al-Sharaa expressed gratitude to the leaders for the meeting and acknowledged the shifting dynamics in the region, particularly Iran’s reduced influence in Syria, describing it as an opportunity to rebuild.
He reaffirmed Syria’s adherence to the 1974 disengagement agreement with Israel and reiterated his country’s commitment to eliminating terrorism and chemical weapons.
“Syria has a chance to become a critical link in east-west trade routes,” Al-Sharaa said, inviting American energy companies to explore opportunities in Syria’s oil and gas sector.
The leaders also discussed ongoing international crises, including the Russia-Ukraine war and the conflict in Gaza, though no specific resolutions were announced.
Trump Meets Syrian President, Seeks Support To Stop ISIS Resurgence is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
