Trump Lifts Syria Sanctions, Urges New Leader to Make Peace With Israel

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday, May 14, urged Syria’s new leader to normalize ties with Israel after announcing the end of long-standing US sanctions on the war-torn country.

Trump made the announcement during a high-profile state visit to Saudi Arabia, where he met with Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa – a former Islamist fighter who led the uprising that ousted Bashar al-Assad in December.

The meeting marked the first time in 25 years that a US president met with a Syrian leader.

Trump sat down with Sharaa and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh, while Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan joined via video call, the White House reported via a shared readout of the meeting.

During the talks, Trump called on Sharaa to join the Abraham Accords – a set of agreements between Israel and several Arab states – and take several steps to support regional security.

According to the White House, Trump also asked Sharaa to deport Palestinian ”terrorists” and take responsibility for prisons in northeastern Syria holding jihadists, now managed by US-backed Kurdish forces.

“The sanctions from the Assad era were really crippling,” Trump said at a Gulf leaders’ summit afterward. “This gives Syria a strong chance to rebuild – and it was my honor to do so.”

Trump said the announcement received the “biggest applause” at a Saudi investment forum the day before. “The room was packed, thousands of people, and this was the moment that got the loudest response,” he said.

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In Damascus, celebrations broke out in Umayyad Square following the news. “This decision will change everything,” said Huda Qassar, a 33-year-old English teacher, as reported by AFP.

“Construction will restart, prices will drop, and displaced people will come back.”

The Syrian foreign ministry called the move a “pivotal turning point.” While the US is still keeping Syria on its list of state sponsors of terrorism – a designation in place since 1979 – the lifting of economic sanctions is seen as a major shift.

Syria’s return to the international stage comes amid ongoing violence at home. Minority communities, including Alawites and Druze, have recently been targeted in a string of deadly attacks.