The US is lifting sanctions on Syria to promote a "fresh start" for the country, US President Donald Trump has said.
Speaking at a Gulf-US summit in the Saudi capital Riyadh, Trump said the decision came after talking with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
“After discussing the situation with Crown Prince Mohammed and President Erdogan of Türkiye, I'm also ordering the cessation of sanctions against Syria to give them a fresh start. It gives (Syria) a chance for greatness," he said.
Turkish President Erdogan said the US president's decision to lift sanctions on Syria carries historic importance.
During the meeting, Erdogan expressed Ankara’s desire for Syria to be a stable, prosperous nation that collaborates with its regional neighbours and poses no threat to them, citing Türkiye's ongoing efforts to achieve this goal.
Erdogan also affirmed Türkiye's continued support for Damascus’ fight against terrorist groups, particularly Daesh. He added that Türkiye is ready to assist in managing and securing prisons holding Daesh terrorists.
Trump, in Riyadh on the first state visit of his second term, also became the first US president in 25 years to meet a Syrian leader.
Trump and Ahmed Alsharaa held brief talks ahead of a larger gathering of Gulf leaders in Saudi Arabia during Trump's tour of the region, a White House official said.
No US president has met a Syrian leader since Bill Clinton saw Hafez al Assad, Bashar's father, in Geneva in 2000.
Trump announced on Tuesday that he was lifting "brutal and crippling" Assad-era sanctions on Syria in response to demands from Alsharaa's allies in Türkiye and Saudi Arabia—in his latest step out of tune with US ally Israel.
Israel has opposed sanctions relief for Syria, but Trump on Tuesday said that bin Salman and Erdogan encouraged him to make the move.
Trump said it was Syrians' "time to shine" and that easing sanctions would "give them a chance at greatness".
Syrians celebrated the news, with dozens of men, women and children gathering in Damascus's Umayyad Square.
The Syrian foreign ministry called Trump's decision a "pivotal turning point" that would help bring stability.
Syria's FM Asaad al-Shaibani says his country is ready to build a relationship with US "based on mutual respect, trust, and shared interests."
Trump’s Mideast tour
Trump’s first day of a four-day swing through the Gulf region was marked by lavish ceremony and business deals, including a $600 billion commitment from Saudi Arabia to invest in the US and $142 billion in US arms sales to the kingdom.
Later on Wednesday, Trump will fly to Qatari capital Doha, where he will participate in a state visit with Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani and other officials.
Qatar, a key US ally, is expected to announce hundreds of billions of dollars in investments in the US.
Following his visit to Qatar, Trump will fly to Abu Dhabi to meet with the UAE's leaders on Thursday.
He is then slated to fly back to Washington on Friday, but he has said he could fly to Türkiye instead for a potential meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
