Overview

• US envoy Thomas Barrack raised the American flag over the ambassador’s residence in Damascus for the first time since 2012, marking the resumption of formal US presence.
• On May 29, Syria and a consortium of Qatari, US and Turkish companies signed a $7 billion deal to build a 5,000-megawatt energy project aimed at reviving the country’s electricity grid.
• The diplomatic milestone follows President Trump’s mid-May meeting with interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Riyadh and rapid easing of US sanctions to avert a Syrian government collapse.
• Barrack called for a non-aggression agreement between Syria and Israel as part of broader talks to resolve long-standing tensions over the Golan Heights.
• The US has removed Syria from its list of state sponsors of terrorism under the new administration, though Congress retains a six-month review period for the change.