“Part of the president’s efforts in diplomacy to meet with anyone around the world in the pursuit of peace.”
According to TRT World reporting, Syrian President Ahmed al Sharaa visited the White House on Monday, becoming the first Syrian leader to do so since the country gained independence from France in 1946. The meeting marks a significant diplomatic shift as President Donald Trump welcomed Syria into a US-led coalition against Daesh.
Al Sharaa, who led forces that toppled Bashar al Assad last December, was described by Trump as “a young, attractive guy. Tough guy. Strong past, very strong past. Fighter.” The two leaders first met in May during a summit in Saudi Arabia.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the visit was “part of the president’s efforts in diplomacy to meet with anyone around the world in the pursuit of peace.” Trump recently praised al Sharaa, saying “a lot of progress has been made with Syria.”
Before the visit, the UN Security Council voted to lift sanctions on Syria. US Ambassador Mike Waltz called it a sign of a “new era since the fall of Assad.” Al Sharaa seeks a permanent repeal of sanctions, with US lawmakers debating competing proposals on whether to end or condition future sanctions reviews.