US President Donald Trump is expected to meet with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa during his trip to Saudi Arabia this week, according to local media reports.
The meeting will also include Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, according to diplomatic sources briefed on the arrangements, sources speaking to Al-Quds daily said.
Sharaa, who assumed power in Syria in January following the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime by an Islamist-led rebel coalition, is still designated as a "terrorist" by the US.
However, the Syrian president is reportedly seeking a reset with Washington. Central to his agenda is the lifting of US sanctions imposed on Damascus under the Assad regime - sanctions that have remained in place amid widespread human rights concerns and accusations of war crimes.
To entice the Trump administration, Sharaa is expected to propose a series of economic and geopolitical concessions. Security sources say the Syrian leader may offer US companies access to Syria’s untapped natural resources, modelled loosely on mineral exploitation deals seen in Ukraine.
Among the more controversial proposals under consideration is the establishment of a demilitarised zone in southern Syria, and the possibility of allowing Israel to maintain a limited security presence near the Golan Heights, according to The Times.
The area, which was captured by Israel during the 1967 war, was formally recognised by the Trump administration in 2019 as Israeli territory—a move rejected by most of the international community.
Despite the ambitious diplomatic overture, the prospect of Trump meeting with al-Sharaa has sparked internal divisions within his team. Tulsi Gabbard, Trump’s Director of National Intelligence, who previously enjoyed a close relationship with the Assad regime, is reportedly among those urging caution, according to insiders familiar with the deliberations.
Conversely, Steve Witkoff, the president’s Middle East envoy, is said to be more supportive of the engagement, pointing to Trump’s history of defying diplomatic convention in pursuit of deal-making. "He’s not bound by the usual constraints. If there’s a deal to be had, he’ll consider it," one senior official remarked to The Times.
While the meeting has not yet been officially confirmed by the White House, preparations are reportedly underway in Riyadh, where US, Syrian, and Gulf intermediaries have been engaged in quiet talks.