ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - US President Donald Trump met with Syria’s Ahmed al-Sharaa in Riyadh on Wednesday, in the presence of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan via video conference.

Trump’s meeting with Sharaa came a day after the US president made a surprising and landmark decision to lift all sanctions on the war-battered country “in order to give them a chance at greatness.”

Speaking at the summit between Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) leaders and the US following the meeting, Trump said that Washington is "currently exploring normalizing relations with Syria’s new government, as you know, beginning with my meeting with President Ahmed al-Sharaa."

Since the fall of Assad in December, the interim Syrian government in Damascus has been repeatedly calling on the international community, notably the US and European countries, to lift sanctions imposed on the former Assad regime so the country could begin rebuilding across all walks of life and pave the way for the return of millions of Syrians who have sought asylum in neighboring and European countries.

Reacting to the Trump-Sharaa meeting, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani wrote on X: "We share this achievement with our Syrian people who sacrificed themselves to restore Syria to its rightful place, and now work has begun towards a great Syria, praise be to God."

US President Donald Trump arrived in Saudi Arabia’s capital, Riyadh, on Tuesday morning, embarking on a regional tour that will also see him travel to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar.

Trump’s meeting with Sharaa took over half an hour, with details of the meeting not immediately available, according to Saudi media.

Soon after Trump said he ordered the lifting of all sanctions, Syrians poured into the streets of the capital city of Damascus, celebrating the historical decision.

“We view this announcement very positively, and we are ready to build a relationship with the US based on mutual respect, trust, and common interests,” Syrian Foreign Minister Shaibani said, thanking Saudi Arabia for its efforts in supporting the removal of the sanctions.