U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday praised the sweeping political and security achievements of Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, declaring his intention to remove Syria from the United States’ State Sponsors of Terrorism list in the near future.
Speaking to reporters in Ankara ahead of a closely watched bilateral meeting with al-Sharaa on the margins of the 36th NATO Summit, Trump expressed strong confidence in the direction of Syria’s new leadership. “I think I will do it. Why not? He has done a fantastic job,” Trump said when asked whether Washington would formally delist Syria.
A Diplomatic Turnaround and the End of Sanctions
Trump’s remarks echoed comments he made a day earlier during talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, as reported by Turkey’s Anadolu Agency. He noted that al-Sharaa had delivered “an incredible job” over the past 18 months, stabilising the country and unifying its institutions after years of conflict.
The acceleration of the delisting process marks a watershed moment in the rapidly shifting relationship between Washington and Damascus. It builds on the Trump administration’s earlier decision to lift comprehensive economic sanctions on Syria — a move that reshaped the diplomatic landscape and opened the door to renewed engagement.
Responding to Trump’s statements, President al-Sharaa said Syria had achieved major milestones over the past year and a half, consolidating national unity and steering the country toward economic recovery and institutional rehabilitation. He attributed these gains to the resilience of the Syrian people and expressed gratitude for Trump’s historic decision to lift sanctions, as well as the constructive support provided by regional partners during Syria’s transition.
Deepening Bilateral Ties
The Ankara meeting marks the third formal encounter between Trump and al-Sharaa, underscoring an unprecedented level of direct engagement between the two governments. Their first official talks took place in May 2025 during Trump’s visit to Riyadh. A second meeting followed in October 2025, when al-Sharaa became the first Syrian head of state to be received at the White House. The latest discussions in Ankara are expected to focus heavily on regional security frameworks, counter-terrorism cooperation and long-term economic stability across the Levant.
High Stakes at the Ankara NATO Summit
The diplomatic breakthrough has become a prominent focal point at the two-day NATO Summit, which Turkey is hosting for only the second time in the alliance’s history. The summit opened on Tuesday with a defence procurement exhibition and forum aimed at helping NATO’s 32 member states translate rising military budgets into immediate transatlantic defence capabilities.
With global security challenges shifting, European leaders are expected to unveil tens of billions of dollars in new arms initiatives to demonstrate burden-sharing commitments directly to President Trump. One senior European diplomat captured the intensity of the moment with a succinct assessment: “It’s showtime.”
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
