Trump and Shara hold landmark meeting in Riyadh with five conditions for Syria  

US President Donald Trump met with Syria’s interim President Ahmed Shara in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia. The Trump-Shara meeting, held within the scope of diplomatic traffic conducted with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) leaders, marked the first direct contact between the two countries in 25 years.

In the reshaping Syrian equation following the end of the Assad era, this meeting was interpreted as a “new beginning.” Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman personally attended the meeting, while President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan joined online.

Following the meeting, White House Spokesperson Karoline Leavitt made a written statement. The statement said, “President Trump met with Ahmed Shara at the invitation of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also joined the meeting by phone.”

According to Leavitt, Erdoğan praised Trump for lifting sanctions on Syria and stated that they would work jointly with Saudi Arabia for peace and development. Salman also described Trump’s decision as “courageous.”

According to the White House statement, Trump asked Ahmed Shara to take steps on the following five issues during the meeting:

— Join the Abraham Accords signed with Israel.

— Ensure all foreign terrorists in Syria leave the country.

— Deport Palestinian terrorists.

— Support the US in preventing ISIS from regrouping.

— Take over the management of ISIS camps in northeastern Syria.

It had previously been revealed that these demands were conveyed by the US to the Damascus administration, and the Shara administration had informed Washington that it was taking gradual steps on the articles, excluding “foreign terrorists.”

During this process, it is known that some Palestinian resistance organizations were targeted, and their leaders were detained. Rhetoric regarding the normalization of relations with Israel has also increased.

The White House statement conveyed that Shara evaluated the withdrawal of Iranian military forces from Syria as a “historic opportunity” during the meeting. Shara emphasized that Syria and the US have common interests in the destruction of chemical weapons and the fight against terrorism.

Furthermore, Shara, reiterating his commitment to the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement with Israel, stated that they aim for Syria to become a geopolitical bridge facilitating trade between east and west. He invited American companies to invest in his country’s energy sector.

According to a report by Anadolu Agency, President Erdoğan emphasized during the meeting that Türkiye desires Syria to be a stable country that cooperates with its neighbors and does not pose a threat. Erdoğan said they would continue to strive to achieve this goal.

It was noted that Erdoğan stated Türkiye would support the Damascus administration’s fight against ISIS and other terrorist organizations; and that Türkiye is ready to contribute, especially regarding the security and management of camps holding ISIS terrorists.

President Erdoğan described Trump’s decision to lift sanctions as a “historic step,” stating that this approach should set an example for other countries. Erdoğan also expressed his belief that many investment opportunities would arise in Syria following the decision.