Erdogan, Trump, Bin Salman, Al Sharaa

By Dr. Muhamad Sabir Kareem:

Amid Trump’s trip to the Arab Co-operation Council (ACC) which includes Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE – on May 13th, the groundwork was prepared for Trump’s Al-Sharaa meeting in Riyadh. A meeting which came under the impact of an offering by Prince Mohammed bin Salman through the signing of various financial and arms agreements estimated at $1 trillion. In other words, what Mr. Trump aimed to achieve major gains from the Saudi Leadership.

On the other side there is a political goal which includes that meeting with Syria’s interim administration, in order to erase any risk and break for Hayat Tahrir al-Sham administration in Damascus from western states, particularly the USA. This served the interests of Prince Salman as well.

This goal was pursued further in the region by Trump’s Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, who, in a press conference, stated that al-Sharaa was ready to make peace with Israel. Rubio described al-Sharaa as a sincere figure for the Syrian people who is trying to advance his country through peace and stability. This statement was made following a meeting in Istanbul on May 16 with both Turkish and Syrian foreign ministers.

This important change in the relation between the Syria’s interim administration and the U.S. foreign policy establishment. It opened the door to substantial progress for the new leadership in Damascus. This was evidenced by Ahmed al-Sharaa’s trip to Istanbul on May 24, where he met with President Erdogan. That meeting laid the foundation for greater cooperation between the U.S., EU, and the emerging Syrian government and the decision to lift sanctions on Syria.

Support for Syria’s interim administration by the U.S., EU, and Middle Eastern countries like Turkey, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia has continued. For example, on May 29, a memorandum of understanding was signed between Syria’s Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources and an international consortium of leading energy companies—including American, Qatari, and Turkish institutions. These agreements aim to attract investment in the energy sector and rebuild Syria’s electrical infrastructure.