New York, United Nations Headquarters – In a move that signals a significant shift in Syria’s international diplomacy, Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa met with U.S. President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The meeting, quietly confirmed by Syria’s official news agency SANA early Thursday, marks the second time the two leaders have come face to face—following their first encounter in Riyadh in May.
A photograph released by SANA showed President Al-Sharaa warmly shaking hands with President Trump, with First Lady Melania Trump standing by. Although no specific agenda or outcomes were shared, the imagery alone spoke volumes about a thawing in what had once been some of the most hostile relations in the region.
Earlier this week, Al-Sharaa also met with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, marking Syria’s growing reintegration into global diplomacy. The engagement comes after decades of isolation and conflict, during which Syria had not sent a head of state to a high-level UN event since 1967—before the Assad family’s long grip on power began.
Al-Sharaa’s rise to leadership came after a dramatic turn in Syrian history—ousting Bashar al-Assad through a swift insurgent offensive that ended nearly 14 years of civil war. Now, with a new political era dawning, Al-Sharaa is pushing to rebuild relationships not just with Arab neighbors, but also with Western powers long cautious of his past.
A former commander of Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham—once blacklisted by the U.S. as a foreign terrorist organization—Al-Sharaa has since pivoted from militancy to diplomacy. In response, President Trump’s administration lifted the terrorist designation and began easing sanctions, a move that has been met with both praise and scrutiny on Capitol Hill and beyond.
Secretary Rubio, in a statement, acknowledged Syria’s “opportunity to build a stable and sovereign nation,” emphasizing collaborative counterterrorism efforts and discussions on regional stability, including the critical role of Syria-Israel relations.
Still, Al-Sharaa remained cautious about fully joining initiatives like the Abraham Accords, which normalized relations between several Arab states and Israel. Speaking at the Concordia Annual Summit, Al-Sharaa argued that Syria’s proximity and its long, volatile history with Israel require a different approach: “Syria has to be respected in this new era,” he stated, highlighting ongoing negotiations aimed at restoring the 1974 truce.
In a striking moment of historical reconciliation, Al-Sharaa spoke alongside retired Gen. David Petraeus—a man who once led U.S. forces against Al-Sharaa’s former militant group during the Iraq War. Their conversation underscored the transformation of former enemies into diplomatic participants in the same global dialogue.
Al-Sharaa praised Trump’s bold move to roll back sanctions and appealed directly to the American people and Congress for further relief:
“The Syrian people should not be killed another time through sanctions. They love to work. Lift the sanctions and don’t worry about them.”
Despite the thaw, visa restrictions on Syrian delegates were only waived to allow participation in this year’s UN gathering. Al-Sharaa also met with key U.S. lawmakers, including Sen. Jeanne Shaheen and Rep. Gregory Meeks, both of whom expressed cautious optimism about future relations and legislative movement on sanctions.
When asked about alleged atrocities committed in Sweida and the coastal regions, Al-Sharaa acknowledged the suffering and the state’s new commitment to justice and transparency:
“There was major chaos and everyone made mistakes. The Syrian state will work on accountability—even if those responsible are the closest to us.”
