Overview

• U.S. President Donald Trump met Syria's interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa in Riyadh, marking the first U.S.-Syria head-of-state meeting in 25 years.
• The meeting occurred alongside Trump's discussions with Gulf Cooperation Council leaders, highlighting regional security and economic priorities.
• Talks focused on lifting U.S. economic sanctions on Syria, which have been in place since 1979, and mobilizing international aid for reconstruction efforts.
• Ahmad al-Sharaa, a former insurgent leader with ties to al-Qaida, seeks to secure legitimacy for Syria's transitional government after the Assad regime's fall.
• The engagement reflects a strategic shift in Syria's foreign relations, with al-Sharaa distancing his administration from Iran and fostering ties with Gulf and Western powers.