President Sharaa and Foreign Minister al-Shaibani celebrate the decision to remove Syria from the list of state sponsors of terrorism (Asaad al-Shaibani/X)
Syrian President Ahmad Sharaa capped a landmark appearance at the NATO summit in Ankara with a series of high-level meetings culminating in US President Donald Trump’s announcement his administration intends to remove Syria from the US list of state sponsors of terrorism, marking a significant step in the normalization of relations between Washington and Damascus.
Sharaa met Trump July 8 on the sidelines of the summit, the fourth meeting between the two leaders since May 2025. The Syrian president also held talks with US Special Presidential Envoy to Syria and Iraq Tom Barrack and a bipartisan delegation of members of Congress, demonstrating the growing diplomatic engagement between the two countries.
Speaking during a joint appearance with Sharaa, Trump said his administration plans to end Syria’s decades-long designation as a state sponsor of terrorism. Reuters reported the Trump administration formally notified congressional leaders of its decision to remove Syria from the designation, beginning a required 45-day congressional review before the move becomes final, citing a senior US administration official.
Trump Praises Syria’s New Leadership
During the press conference, Trump praised Sharaa’s leadership, describing him as “a strong person and a great leader who is respected by everyone, including me.” The US president said Syria had regained stability in a relatively short period following political changes in the country. “We are proud of those achievements and our role,” Trump said.
Asked whether Syria could contribute to efforts against Lebanon’s Hezbollah movement, Trump replied “the Syrians could help in this area,” adding they were making good progress without elaborating further.
Trump also reiterated lifting sanctions and removing obstacles to reconstruction formed part of Washington’s approach toward Syria’s recovery. According to Reuters, Trump later informed Sharaa, in writing, he had promised to remove barriers preventing Syria from rebuilding and that American companies were prepared to invest in the country once the process is completed.
Sharaa Credits Syrians and Regional Partners
Sharaa described the developments as the result of both domestic achievements and international cooperation. “We have achieved a great accomplishment in liberation and overthrowing the previous regime, and we have also achieved a great accomplishment in a year and a half in unifying the country and putting it on the right track,” he said.
The Syrian president credited what he called the “great Syrian people” for those achievements while thanking Trump for what he described as the historic decision to lift sanctions and move toward removing Syria from the terrorism list. Sharaa also expressed appreciation for the support of regional partners, particularly Turkey and Gulf states, saying their backing had contributed to Syria’s political and economic recovery.
Congressional Engagement Expands
Before meeting Trump, Sharaa met Barrack and a bipartisan congressional delegation led by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen. The delegation also included Sens. Chris Coons, Mike Rounds, Dick Durbin and Lindsey Graham, along with Rep. Michael Turner.
According to the Syrian presidency, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani attended the meeting. Barrack later wrote on X that it was “a great honor” to welcome Sharaa to Ankara, describing the talks as an indication of Syria’s growing importance in a rapidly changing Middle East. He said the meeting reflected momentum toward “a strong new chapter” in US-Syrian relations built on mutual trust, shared strategic interests and a commitment to long-term regional stability.
Historic NATO Appearance
This year’s summit marked the first time a Syrian president participated in a NATO summit since the alliance was founded. Although Syria was not part of the official agenda, Sharaa’s meetings with Trump, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and senior American officials made the country’s future relationship with Western capitals one of the summit’s most closely watched diplomatic developments.
Following the announcement, Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani welcomed the decision, calling it “the closing of a dark chapter in Syria’s history” in a post on X. He thanked Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Ambassador Tom Barrack and others who supported the move, saying the decision opened a new phase for Syria’s international engagement.