Damascus, Syria – This week witnessed a development that US envoy Tom Barrack described as “a pivotal turning point in the modern history of the Middle East.” This followed the historic visit of Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa to Washington, D.C., where he met with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House.
This is the first visit of its kind by a Syrian president since Syria’s independence in 1946. This reflects a radical shift in relations between the two countries after years of isolation and sanctions.
A strategic shift in Syrian-American relations
In an official statement on Thursday, Barak said he was honored to accompany President al-Sharaa during his visit to the White House. He affirmed that the meeting between the two presidents was “warm and substantive.” He added that both sides reached “a shared conviction of the need to replace estrangement with engagement and give Syria a genuine opportunity for renewal.”
The US envoy noted that President Trump announced on May 13 his intention to lift all US sanctions imposed on Syria. This is a step aimed at supporting the political and economic transition in the country.
A new framework for security cooperation
Barak explained that the meeting, attended by senior officials from both sides, including US Vice President Jay D. Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and his Syrian counterpart Asaad al-Shaibani, focused on Syria joining the international coalition against ISIS.
Barak described this development as “a historic framework representing Syria’s transition from a source of terrorism to a partner in combating terrorism.” He added that Damascus had committed to contributing to the dismantling of the remnants of terrorist organizations, including ISIS, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, Hamas, and Hezbollah.
New three-way collaboration
The statement also addressed the launch of a trilateral cooperation framework between the United States, Turkey, and Syria. This took place during a session attended by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. Barak stated that the talks focused on a plan to integrate the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) into “the new Syrian economic, defense, and civilian structure.” This step aims to unify the military and political structures within the country.
Normalization of regional relations
The US envoy noted parallel efforts to redefine relations between Türkiye, Syria, and Israel. This is aimed at achieving a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. It also addresses Lebanese border issues.
Call to repeal the Caesar Act
In closing his statement, Tom Barrack called for the “next step” following the visit. This step is the complete repeal of the Caesar Act, which imposed severe economic sanctions on the former Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad. He emphasized that this step is essential to enable the new Syrian government to “restart its economic engine.” This is necessary to allow the Syrian people and their regional neighbors to “prosper after years of suffering.”
