Syrian president departs White House after historic talks with Trump
Removal of US sanctions on Syria, potential entry of Damascus into anti-ISIS coalition were to be discussed during sit-down; no formal readout issued yet
WASHINGTON
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa departed the White House Monday after nearly two hours of talks with US President Donald Trump and senior officials.
The visit was the first visit of a Syrian leader to the White House since the nation gained independence nearly 80 years ago.
Sharaa and Trump were expected to focus on the removal of sanctions imposed by the US during Assad regime rule that crippled the Syrian economy, efforts to formally bring Damascus into the anti-ISIS (Daesh) coalition, and potential talks on normalization with Israel – one of Trump's stated goals.
No formal readout of the meeting was immediately issued by the White House.
The Trump administration has taken a series of measures to alleviate diplomatic and economic pressure on Syria and its leader as the country enters a new chapter in its history after over 13 years of brutal civil war, including the lifting of some sanctions.
Trump began the process of lifting US sanctions on Syria following a meeting with Sharaa in May in Saudi Arabia. After that sit-down, the US president described his Syrian counterpart as a "young, attractive guy, tough guy, strong past," signaling a dramatic departure from decades of enmity that had defined US-Syrian relations under the Assads.
Sharaa’s visit to the US is the first by a Syrian president since the country gained independence in 1946.
US Special Envoy for Syria and Ambassador to Türkiye Tom Barrack said last week in Bahrain that Sharaa is expected to sign a document with Trump for Syria to join the anti-ISIS coalition. It is unclear if an agreement was reached behind closed doors.
