Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa is set to meet US President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday, concluding a remarkable year for the 42-year-old leader who toppled Bashar al-Assad and has since worked to reverse Syria’s global isolation.
The visit, the first by any Syrian president to the White House, comes just six months after Sharaa and Trump held their initial talks in Riyadh. Sharaa seized power last December after opposition forces launched a rapid offensive from north-western Syria, ousting Assad within days.
Security cooperation is expected to dominate Monday’s discussions. Syria is poised to join a US-led coalition against ISIS, with an official announcement anticipated following the meeting.
Trump on Friday praised recent developments, telling reporters that «a lot of progress has been made» on Syria. «I think he’s doing a very good job… I got along with him very well,» Trump said. After their May meeting in Saudi Arabia, Trump declared he would lift all sanctions on Syria.
However, the most severe restrictions, the Caesar Sanctions Act, can only be repealed by Congress. The administration has signaled support for removing them before the end of 2025, though the ongoing government shutdown could complicate the timeline.
Sharaa is expected to press for the sanctions’ repeal, arguing it is crucial to attracting foreign investment and launching reconstruction efforts. The World Bank estimates Syria will need more than $200 bn to rebuild after 14 years of conflict.
Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports that Washington and Tashkent have reached a series of major agreements covering investment, industrial and energy collaboration as well as a new 30-day visa-free entry period for US citizens. .
