Report: Did Trump condition to expel Russia as a condition for lifting sanctions on Syria?
Two weeks after reports circulated about US demands in exchange for easing sanctions on Syria, new information has emerged revealing the content of Washington’s conditions and the disagreements within the US administration regarding the Russian presence in the country.
A recent Reuters report indicated that the United States presented the Syrian government with a specific list of conditions aimed at paving the way for a partial lifting of sanctions.
Although this list did not include an explicit clause regarding the withdrawal of Russian forces from Syrian territory, its military presence has become the subject of growing controversy within the White House and the State Department, according to The Hill newspaper.
According to informed sources, the administration of former President Donald Trump experienced internal divisions over how to deal with the Russian naval bases in Tartus and the air base in Hmeimim.
Some officials advocated for their removal as part of any future agreement, while others believed that this wasn’t an urgent requirement at this stage.
Sources confirmed that this controversy was raised in closed-door meetings between representatives from the State Department and the White House, amid reservations from some political voices who consider Russia’s military presence an obstacle to geopolitical balance in the Middle East.
In this context, Republican Representative Joe Wilson called for the dismantling of the Russian presence in Syria, stating to The Hill newspaper, “Every effort must be made to remove the Russian base in Tartus, as well as the air base controlled by Moscow”.
For his part, Senator Jim Risch, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, took a more cautious stance, asserting that disengaging Syria from its current alliances with Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea would be a strategic move in the United States’ interest.
The first official indication of these conditions emerged during a private meeting held on the sidelines of the Brussels donors’ conference on March 18, where Natasha Franceschi, the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Syria and the Levant, delivered a list of demands directly to Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al Shaibani, according to US and Syrian diplomatic sources.
This meeting marks the first high-level official contact between Washington and Damascus since Trump entered the White House in January.
At the same time, Syria is facing a stifling economic crisis as a result of the war, which has been ongoing for more than 13 years, amidst severe Western sanctions targeting individuals, entities, and entire economic sectors.
According to the report, Washington believes that sanctions remain an effective means of pressure to push the Syrian regime toward political concessions.
The report also indicated that Moscow is attempting to exploit the deteriorating economic situation in Syria, with Russian President Vladimir Putin recently holding talks with Syrian leaders, proposing practical cooperation amid the worsening crisis engulfing the country.
