Washington: United States President Donald Trump is set to host Syria’s interim leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, for talks at the White House on November 10, marking the first visit by a Syrian president to Washington in over 80 years. Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani described the visit as a historic opportunity to open a “new chapter” in relations between Damascus and Washington, with discussions expected to include “the lifting of sanctions and opening of a new chapter between the United States and Syria.” Al-Sharaa aims to establish a strong partnership with the US, according to al-Shaibani.

US envoy to Syria Tom Barrack said that al-Sharaa is expected to sign an agreement during the visit to join an international US-led coalition against the ISIL (ISIS) group, a move seen as significant for Syria, which is seeking to rebuild ties with global powers after decades of isolation under the Assad regime.

Ahmed al-Sharaa took power from Bashar al-Assad in December following a rapid insurgent offensive. He previously met Trump in May in Saudi Arabia, the first encounter between US and Syrian leaders in 25 years, signalling a potential thaw in relations. In September, al-Sharaa addressed the United Nations General Assembly in New York, further reflecting his efforts to reintegrate Syria into the global diplomatic fold.

Despite his past as a leader of Syria’s offshoot of al-Qaeda and a former US prisoner during the Iraq conflict, al-Sharaa has distanced himself from extremist networks and even clashed with ISIL. His visit comes at a critical moment as Trump pushes Middle Eastern allies toward lasting peace following the ceasefire and captives exchange between Israel and Hamas to end the Gaza conflict.

Furthermore, Syria and Israel are engaged in talks aiming to halt Israeli airstrikes over Syrian territory and negotiate the withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Syria, with US mediation continuing alongside al-Sharaa’s historic visit.

With inputs from ANI