Trump to Syria's Sharaa: Recognize Israel, expel foreign fighters
During their 30-minute meeting in Riyadh, the two leaders also discussed combating the Islamic State and future American investment in Syrian oil and gas.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — President Donald Trump met on Wednesday with his Syrian counterpart, Ahmed al-Sharaa, signaling a major shift in US policy on Syria after announcing he would remove sanctions on the war-ravaged country.
Trump described Sharaa after their meeting as a “young, attractive guy. Tough guy. Strong past. Very strong past. Fighter.”
“He’s got a real shot at holding it together,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One. “I spoke with President Erdogan, who is very friendly with him. He feels he’s got a shot of doing a good job. It’s a torn-up country.”
The pair met for roughly 30 minutes in Riyadh alongside Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan joining by phone.
