Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa met US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit in Ankara.
Trump said he intends to remove Syria from the US list of state sponsors of terrorism during a press availability with al-Sharaa on Wednesday, July 8.
Responding to reporters’ questions, Trump said, “I think I will. Why wouldn’t I? He’s done a good job.”
Trump praised the Syrian president during the press availability, describing al-Sharaa as “a strong person and a great leader who is respected by everyone, including me.”
He said conditions in Syria had stabilized within a short period, adding, “We are proud of those achievements and of our role.”
Asked by reporters about Syria’s role in the war against Lebanese Hezbollah, Trump gave a brief answer, saying Syrians could help in this area.
He said they were making good progress, without explaining the nature of that progress.
Al-Sharaa: “We Put Syria on the Right Track”
For his part, al-Sharaa said, “We achieved a major accomplishment in liberation and in toppling the former regime, and we also achieved a major accomplishment within a year and a half by unifying the country and putting it on the right track.”
He added that this was achieved thanks to “the great Syrian people,” as he described them, as well as what he called Trump’s historic decision to lift sanctions.
Al-Sharaa said Trump’s decision to lift sanctions on Syria, alongside support from those he called friends and backers in the region, especially Turkey and the Gulf states, is appreciated by the Syrian people, who are grateful for it.
Meetings on the Sidelines of NATO
Earlier, al-Sharaa and his accompanying delegation met US envoy to Syria and Iraq Thomas Barrack and several members of Congress.
Al-Sharaa’s participation marked the first time a Syrian president had taken part in a NATO summit since the alliance was founded.
The White House had previously confirmed that Trump would meet al-Sharaa while both were in Turkey. The step signaled that the Syrian file was being given importance on the sidelines of the alliance meetings, although it is not part of the summit’s official agenda.
Fourth Meeting Between Al-Sharaa and Trump
This is the fourth meeting between al-Sharaa and Trump. They first met in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, on May 14, 2025.
The second meeting took place on the sidelines of the United Nations meetings in New York on September 25, 2025, where al-Sharaa delivered a speech during the regular session.
Their third meeting took place when Trump hosted the Syrian president in Washington on November 10, 2025.
Turkey is hosting the NATO summit for the second time in its history, after hosting the Istanbul summit in 2004. The meeting is gaining additional importance due to shifts in the international security environment and the growing number of regional crises.
Although the summit’s agenda focuses on collective defense, strengthening military capabilities, and the future of European security, parallel diplomatic moves could bring the Syrian file into the summit’s discussions. Foremost among these moves are Syria’s participation and the anticipated meetings between President al-Sharaa and several leaders, amid anticipation of any signals regarding the future of relations between Damascus and influential capitals, chiefly Washington, Ankara, and Paris.