Trump Considers Lifting Sanctions on Syria, Possibly Meeting Al Sharaa

US President Donald Trump announced Monday that his administration is weighing the removal of American sanctions on Syria, citing requests from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and others. Other news reports the same day indicated that Trump might meet with Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa.

Speaking at a White House press conference, Trump said, “We have to make a decision on the sanctions, which we may very well relieve. We may take them off of Syria because we want to give them a fresh start.”

The statement comes as Trump praised Erdogan for hosting ongoing peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, and said he may personally travel to Turkey to join the negotiations. He is also expected to visit Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates later this week.

Turkey is currently the chief international backer of Syria’s new Islamist government, led by al-Sharaa, who rose to power after ousting long-time dictator Bashar al-Assad.

Though Israel has urged caution with the new administration, led by a former Al Qaeda terrorist who says he’s changed, some Israeli officials have recently softened their stance.

Meanwhile, The British Times news site reported that Trump is planning to meet al-Sharaa during his current Middle East visit, despite deep concerns among his advisers.

Among the proposals, Sharaa is promoting a Ukraine-style agreement granting American companies access to Syria’s natural resources. He’s even suggested the construction of a Trump Tower in Damascus as part of an overture to the US president.

In a sign of shifting international sentiment, French President Emmanuel Macron recently met with Sharaa in Paris after obtaining a UN waiver on the Syrian leader’s travel ban. Macron reportedly floated the idea of gradually easing EU sanctions if Syria honors its promises of reform and inclusivity.

Security officials told the Times that al Sharaa may even be open to beginning talks about joining the Abraham Accords. As part of this, Syria could agree to demilitarize parts of its territory or permit Israeli security operations in the southwest, near the Golan Heights. Trump had previously recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Golan region in 2019.

Discussions between Sharaa and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman about a meeting with Trump have taken place, but not everyone in Trump’s inner circle supports it.

The idea of Syria joining the Abraham Accords has reportedly been pitched through the UAE as a mediator. US officials and Gulf allies see this as a key opportunity to draw Syria out of Iran’s orbit and realign it with the West.

“If you look at how the Ukraine mineral deal was structured, that could be a template for Syria,” one source familiar with the talks told the Times. “If Syria joins the Abraham Accords and the US uses that to pull them westward, that’s a real possibility.”

Trump’s Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff is leading the effort to link progress in Ukraine with deals across the Middle East. “In the Gulf and in Moscow, they like him because he’s not talking policy—he’s talking real estate. He’s talking business, and that resonates,” the source said. “In policy, decisions take a year. In real estate, you talk, sign, and move. That’s why it’s moving fast—and why people are nervous.”