United States President Donald Trump will host Syria’s interim leader Ahmed al-Sharaa for official talks in Washington this month, marking the first visit by a Syrian president to the U.S. capital in more than eight decades.
A New Chapter in U.S.–Syria Relations
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani announced on Sunday that the visit aims to open a “new chapter” in relations between Damascus and Washington.
“President Ahmed al-Sharaa will be at the White House at the start of November,” al-Shaibani said during a speech in Bahrain.
“This is a historic visit — the first by a Syrian president to the White House in over 80 years. There will be many issues on the table, starting with the lifting of sanctions and the establishment of a strong partnership between our two countries.”
Focus on Security and Cooperation
According to a report by Axios, Tom Barrack, the U.S. envoy to Syria, said that al-Sharaa is expected to sign an agreement joining a U.S.-led international alliance against the ISIL (ISIS) group during his visit.
Al-Sharaa, who took power from Bashar al-Assad in December, has been working to rebuild Syria’s diplomatic ties with major world powers after years of isolation under Assad’s rule.
Renewed Diplomatic Engagements
This visit follows a meeting between Trump and al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia last May, during the Gulf Cooperation Council Summit. It was the first meeting between U.S. and Syrian leaders in 25 years, signaling a possible thaw in relations.
In September, President al-Sharaa also addressed the United Nations General Assembly in New York, calling for broader international cooperation in the Middle East.
From Rebel to Statesman
Al-Sharaa’s background is complex. A decade ago, he led a Syrian offshoot of al-Qaeda that later clashed with ISIL. Once labeled a militant leader with a $10 million U.S. bounty, he has since repositioned himself as a reformist figure seeking to stabilize Syria.
The U.S.-led coalition drove ISIL from its last Syrian stronghold in 2019, paving the way for new diplomatic opportunities in the region.
Regional Context and Peace Efforts
The meeting comes as Trump urges Middle East allies to use the current momentum to build a durable peace in the region. Last month, Israel and Hamas began implementing a ceasefire and captives exchange agreement, aiming to end Israel’s two-year war in Gaza.
Although the ceasefire remains fragile, it has brought cautious optimism for regional stability.
Syria–Israel Dialogue Underway
Meanwhile, Syria and Israel are holding indirect talks aimed at ending Israeli air strikes on Syrian territory and negotiating a withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Syria. Damascus hopes these discussions, alongside the Washington visit, will solidify Syria’s return to international diplomacy.
