What signals Trump's meeting with the new Syrian leader?

But, on May 14th, a major change took place on the world stage when United States President (SHBA) Donald Trump met with Syria's new president, Ahmed al-Sahara a former rebel known as war name Abu Mohammed al-Joani in Riyadh.

This was the first meeting between the leaders of Syria and the United States in a quarter century.
This step signals not only a new chapter for the war-torn country but also a reposition of regional alliances and power dynamics in the Middle East.

Speaking in the Saudi capital, Trump said the decision to lift sanctions -- announced the previous day -- aims to give Syria “an opportunity for greatness”, while the country tries to rebuild after more than a decade of civil war and economic destruction.

People celebrate in Damascus 13 May after US President Donald Trump said he would order the removal of sanctions on Syria.

People celebrate in Damascus 13 May after US President Donald Trump said he would order the removal of sanctions on Syria.

The sanctions, initially set to exert pressure on the government of the ousted president, Bashar al-Assad, “tame directly affect the Syrian people and prevent the process of recovery and reconstruction,” said Syria's Foreign Ministry after the announcement.

Welcoming Trump's decision, the Syrian Ministry said the sanctions “contributed to the fall of [Assad]” and added that Syrians “look forward to full removal of sanctions as part of steps supporting peace and welfare in Syria and the region. ”
Damascus erupted in celebrations after Trump's announcement, and many Syrians hope for economic relief.

“Syria now has a real opportunity to return to the global economic system”, Free Europe Klara Broekaert, researcher at the Sougan Centre, told Radio Europe.
“This does not mean that the United States should give up all influence -- especially in the matter of protection of minority rights -- but the current regime of sanctions does not, rather punishes ordinary Syrian citizens”, she said.

Historic Appointment
The two leaders met briefly in Riyadh in the margins of the Trump meeting with leaders of the Gulf Co-operation Council.
The White House said Trump urged the Syrian leader to normalise relations with Israel by joining the so-called Abraham Accords, already signed by several Arab Gulf states.
He also demanded that Sharia expel Palestinian militants and take control of camps supporting Islamic state fighters and currently managed by Kurdish guerrillas opposed by Turkey.

Then US President Bill Clinton (right), meets with Syrian counterpart Hafez al-Assad in Geneva in March 2000.
The last such meeting took place in 2000, when US President Bill Clinton met with Hafez al-Assad in Geneva. Trump's meeting with Shara signals a warming of relations and a de facto recognition of the new Syrian leadership something unimaginable just a few months ago

From Rebels to President
Climbing Shara to the Presidency is a story that few would have predicted. He fought against American forces in Iraq and then founded Jabhat al-Nosura, the group linked to Al-Qaeda, during the Syrian civil war.

In time, he seceded from Al-Qaeda, reappointed the group like Hayat Tarhrir al-Sham and consolidated power in northwest Syria. At the end of December 2024, Shara led a swift offensive of the rebels, supported by Turkey, and took over Damascus, ending the Assad family's rule.

He later announced the dissolution of all armed factions including himself and took over the presidency by his birth, promising constitutional reform and a new era for Syria.
The transformation of Shara from rebel commander to head of state is both impressive and controvers. While working to design a pragmatic image, promising security for minorities and being open to the international community, its past continues to fuel concerns in the West and Israel.

Shara has faced difficulty controlling factions associated with his transitional government. This challenge was highlighted in March, when clashes broke out between security forces and loyal fighters against Iran and Russia's collapsed government. Human rights groups documented hundreds of victims, including civilians.

Broekaert said that, despite recent reforms, American policymakers still have persistent “concerns, including for sectarian violence in coastal provinces.
What I am carefully following is the integration of foreign fighters into the new security and governance structure”, she said.

These issues, Broekaert added, “continue to fuel scepticism among influential policymakers in Washington for the sustainability and sincerity of these” reforms.
For many Syrians, however, Sharia represents a break from decades of dictatorship and an opportunity for reconstruction after years of destruction.

“Sharaa also, to be honest, has positioned very cleverly his leadership and agenda as pragmatic and in line with US strategic interests, especially in curbing Iranian impact”, said Broekaert.

Saudi Arabia's Decisive Role
This dramatic change in US politics did not happen in vacuum. Saudi Arabia, under the leadership of Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman, played a key role in orchestrating this diplomatic progress.
Trump made his announcement at an investment conference in Riyadh on 13 May, publicly ascribing credit to Saudi prince as a driving force for the decision.

Saudi Arabia, along with Turkey and several other Arab Gulf states, lobbied persistently in Washington, arguing that commitment with the Government of Shara was essential to stabilising Syria and curbing Iranian influence in the region.

The announcement coincided with Saudi Arabia's pledge to invest $600 billion in the US and the signing of a arms agreement worth $142 billion ($142 billion) stressing the US-Sudian Arab co-operation scale.
Stressing Saudi Arabia's “parent role”, Broekaert said Muhammad bin Salman “replaced diplomatic pressure with transactional incentives” to ensure Trump's commitment to the new Syrian leadership and to accelerate the removal of sanctions.

How will this affect other regional actors?
The embrace of Syria's new government by Trump is spreading throughout the region.
For Israel, this is a source of deep concern. Israeli officials, careful about Sharia's jihadist past and the communitarian violence that accompanied its rise, fear that US normalisation with Damascus could limit Israel's freedom of action and encourage hostile actors.

There are reports of indirect talks between Syria and Israel, possibly mediated by the United Arab Emirates, but Israeli scepticism remains high.
It is clear that Israel's influence has fallen on the treatment the Trump administration makes to Syria”, Broekaert said.

For Iran, developments represent a major strategic blow. The collapse of the Assad regime and the establishment of a hostile government against Tehran have cut off a key link in Iran's “subsistant” network of regional allies and representatives. Iranian assets in Syria have been confiscated and the new government has shown little interest in establishing relations with Tehran.

Russia too has felt the decline in its influence. Although Moscow maintains military bases on the Syrian coast, the new government has made it clear that Russia's future presence will depend on agreements serving Syria's interests. Russia is now looking for ways to re-age with Damascus, but its influence has diminished. / REL