US President, Donald Trump has said that he is considering the removal of sanctions from Syria, imposed under former President Bashar al-Assad.
Speaking in a press conference, Trump pointed out that it will be a part of an effort to give the country a “fresh start.”
“We’re going to have to make a decision on the sanctions, which we may very well relieve. We may take them off of Syria because we want to give them a fresh start.
“The way we have them sanctioned, it doesn’t really give them much of a start. We want to see we can help them out.”
Donald Trump
US President said, referring to the country’s new government led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who led an offensive that toppled al-Assad in December last year.
Syria’s economy has long been crippled by western sanctions. According to the World Bank, the country’s economy shrank by more than half between 2010 and 2020.
The Trump administration has yet to formally recognise the new Syrian government led by al-Sharaa, while his group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) remains a US-designated “terrorist” organisation.
Trump’s comments on sanctions came as he prepares to head to the Middle East.
Trump will undertake a three-day tour of the Gulf for his first state visit since retaking office in January. The trip begins in Saudi Arabia, followed by Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
It marks Trump’s second foreign visit as president after he attended Pope Francis’s funeral in Rome in April.
Trump will fly out of the US on Monday, May 12, 2025, and start his trip in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, on Tuesday, May 13, 2025.
He is expected to attend a Gulf summit in the city on Wednesday, visit Qatar later that day and conclude his visit in the UAE on Thursday.
Saudi Arabia was the first country Trump visited during his first term as well, breaking the tradition of US presidents starting with the United Kingdom, Canada or Mexico.
His objectives are securing major economic deals and making diplomatic progress on issues that impact the region, including a Gaza ceasefire and stalled Saudi-Israel normalisation talks.
Also at the press conference, Trump said that the offer from the royal family of Qatar to supply a luxury jumbo jet for use as a presidential plane was “just a gesture of good faith.”
Speaking to reporters at the White House, the US President said that the Qatari leadership knew that plane manufacturer Boeing has encountered delays building the next generation of the Air Force One aircraft and wanted to help out. “I could be a stupid person and say we don’t want a free plane,” Trump said.
The news about the plane prompted warnings from critics that accepting it would be unethical and likely unconstitutional.
Trump Open To Turkiye Detour For Ukraine-Russia Talks
Additionally, the US President expressed optimism about potential talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in Istanbul on Thursday.
Trump, who is expected to be in the Gulf that day, suggested he could make a detour to Turkiye if he thinks his presence might be helpful.
“I was thinking about flying over. I don’t know where I am going to be on Thursday. I’ve got so many meetings. … There’s a possibility there I guess if I think things can happen.”
Donald Trump
Trump added there is “the potential for a good meeting” between Putin and Zelenskyy. “Don’t underestimate Thursday in Turkey. President [Recep Tayyip] Erdogan is the great host,” Trump said.
In a post on X, Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky said that he wants Trump to attend direct peace talks with Russia in Istanbul after the US leader said he was “thinking” of going. “Of course, all of us in Ukraine would appreciate it if President Trump could be there with us at this meeting,” Zelenskyy said in a post on X.
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