Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – On Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump will meet Syria’s President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
This follows Trump’s surprise announcement on Tuesday to lift all U.S. sanctions on Syria. The decision came during a speech in Riyadh, where Trump is on a four-day trip across the Gulf region.
Trump’s first day in Saudi Arabia included major business deals, with Saudi Arabia pledging $600 billion in U.S. investments and $142 billion in U.S. arms sales to the Kingdom.
Later today, Trump will travel to Doha, Qatar, for a state visit with Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani. Qatar, a close U.S. ally, is expected to announce significant investments in the U.S.
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Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan supported Trump’s decision to lift sanctions, though Israel, another U.S. ally, opposed it.
Al-Sharaa, a former al-Qaeda leader, helped overthrow former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in December. The meeting will be closely watched as the U.S. seeks to rebuild ties with Syria.