The Times: Issues Ahmed al Sharaa intends to raise during his potential meeting with Trump in Saudi Arabia
The Times reported that former US President Donald Trump may meet with Syrian transitional President Ahmed al Sharaa during his upcoming visit to Saudi Arabia, despite clear divisions within his advisory team over the feasibility of such a meeting.
According to the report, al Sharaa is seeking to persuade the US administration to lift sanctions on Syria by offering lucrative investment offers, including granting American companies’ concessions in the natural resources sector.
Reports indicate that he has even floated the idea of building a Trump Tower in the heart of Damascus as part of a major trade deal.
Trump, for his part, has hinted at the possibility of lifting sanctions imposed since the Assad era, considering that Syria deserves a chance for a new beginning, without explicitly confirming the meeting, while the White House has declined to make any official comment on the matter.
Ahmed al Sharaa, who met with French President Emmanuel Macron last week after being granted an exemption from the UN travel ban, expressed willingness to discuss easing European sanctions if his government committed to political and inclusive reforms.
According to the Times, he also raised the possibility of Syria joining the Abraham Accords to normalize relations with Israel, and even spoke of security arrangements that would allow an Israeli presence in southwestern Syria.
A potential meeting between al Sharaa and Trump was also discussed between the latter and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, however, some of Trump’s advisors, including Tulsi Gabbard and Sebastian Gorka, opposed the move, preferring a more conservative approach toward the new regime in Syria.
On the other hand, there are voices within the US team that see opening channels with Syria as a strategic opportunity to distance it from Iran, especially in light of the geopolitical competition with China, which has begun to show increasing interest in infrastructure projects in the country.
Sources indicate that mega-projects, such as telecommunications agreements with US AT&T company, may be part of the deal, while al Sharaa is looking to attract Western investment as an alternative to fully embracing China.
