Trump announces end to Syria sanctions and first direct talks with new government

President Donald Trump announced that the United States will lift sanctions on Syria and begin formal diplomatic engagement with its new government, following the ousting of Bashar al-Assad in December.

Speaking at the Saudi–U.S. Investment Forum in Riyadh on Tuesday, Trump said Syria had “seen so much misery and death” and that a new government is now in place that “will hopefully succeed in stabilizing the country and keeping peace.” He confirmed that Secretary of State Marco Rubio will meet with Syria’s new foreign minister later this week in Turkey.

“This is their time to shine,” Trump said, announcing that he will order the cessation of U.S. sanctions imposed over the last two decades. “The sanctions were brutal and crippling and served an important function… but now it’s their time to shine.”

Trump said the decision followed consultations with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. “Oh what I do for the Crown Prince,” he added.

In a statement, the Syrian Foreign Ministry said the country is ready to strengthen ties with the U.S. “based on mutual respect, trust, and shared interests.” The ministry added that Trump is “capable of achieving a historic peace deal and securing a win for U.S. interests in Syria.”

The U.S. designated Syria a state sponsor of terrorism in 1979 and imposed initial sanctions in 2004. Additional measures were added in 2011 following the outbreak of civil war and allegations of chemical weapons use by the Assad government.

On December 8, Assad fled Syria and was granted asylum in Russia after opposition forces led by the Turkish-backed group Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) captured Damascus. The group had already taken control of several key cities including Aleppo, Hama, and Homs during a rapid offensive that began in late November.

The current Syrian government is led by President Ahmed Hussein al-Sharaa, a former leader of HTS. His administration has expressed intentions to restore diplomatic and economic relations with both Arab states and Western allies.