President Donald Trump held a face‑to‑face meeting today with Syria’s new President Ahmed al‑Shara.This is the first direct talks between leaders of the two countries in a quarter century and signalling a dramatic shift in Washington’s Middle East policy under Trump.The half‑hour discussion in the Saudi capital came one day after Trump pledged to lift long standing US sanctions on Damascus, drawing cheers from Gulf dignitaries and handing al‑Shara a vital diplomatic victory. Only five months ago, the US dropped a $10 million reward for information on the former al-Qaeda field commander, who helped end Bashar al‑Assad’s rule in Syria back in December..Travelling with a large business delegation, Trump is on a three‑nation tour that also stops in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Overnight Israeli airstrikes killed dozens in Gaza, according to Palestinian health officials, as US efforts to broker another cease‑fire have stalled.“Solid ties with these countries help Israel,” said Trump, adding that he urged al‑Shara to open talks with Jerusalem and expel “all foreign terrorists” from Syria.Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia hosted the meeting, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan participated, a longtime backer of Syria’s rebels..A White House release said Trump told al‑Shara he “has a tremendous opportunity to do something historic.”Trump’s entourage includes FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who will later preside over a ceremony in Doha transferring World Cup hosting duties from Qatar to the North American countries of the US, Canada, and Mexico.The president ended the Riyadh leg with an opulent gala that mixed sword dances, gold‑threaded robes, and talk of multibillion‑dollar investment deals.
