President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that the U.S. would lift long-term sanctions on Syria and received a $600 billion U.S. commitment from Saudi Arabia to invest in the U.S. in the U.S.
The United States agreed to sell a Saudi Arabia weapon package worth nearly $142 billion, according to the White House calling it “the largest defense cooperation agreement.”
The surprise announcement about sanctions will be a huge push for Syria, which has been undermined by more than a decade of civil war. The rebels, led by current President Ahmed Al-Sharaa, overthrew President Bashar al-Assad in December.
Trump said in Riyadh that he was demanding the abolition of Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler, Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
“Oh, what I did for the Crown Prince,” Trump said, saying that these sanctions played a big role, but now is the time for the country to move forward.
The United States declared Syria a sponsor of terrorist state in 1979, and increased sanctions in 2004 and further sanctions were imposed after the Civil War broke out in 2011.
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani said on X that the planned move marks a “new starting point” in Syria's road to reconstruction. A White House official said Trump has agreed to a brief greeting in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday.
Trump and the Saudi Crown Prince signed a deal covering energy, defense, mining and other regions. Trump is trying to strengthen relations with Saudi Arabia to improve regional ties with Israel and act as a bastion for Iran.
The agreement covers deals with several U.S. defense companies in areas including air and missile defense, air force and space development, maritime security and communications. The Saudi prince said the deal included $600 billion in investment opportunities, including $300 billion in deals signed during Trump's visit.
“We will close the deal in the next few months of the second phase and increase it to $1 trillion,” he said.
Saudi Arabia is one of the largest customers of the United States weapons.
Reuters reported in April that the United States is ready to provide the Kingdom with a weapon package worth more than $100 billion.
“I really believe we like each other very much,” Trump said at a meeting with the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia.
The United States and Saudi Arabia have discussed Riyadh's potential purchase of the Lockheed F-35 jet, a discussion from two sources told Reuters, referring to a military aircraft that the Kingdom has long believed to be interested.
It is not clear whether the aircraft were covered in the deal announced on Tuesday.
Trump will continue from Riyadh and the United Arab Emirates until Thursday, accompanied by U.S. business leaders including billionaire Elon Musk.
He has not arranged a stop in Israel, a decision raising questions about the position of close allies with Washington on Washington’s priorities, with the trip focusing on investment rather than security matters in the Middle East.
However, Trump hopes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agrees to a new ceasefire deal in the 19-month-old Gaza war.
Front burner28:32Trump watches in Israel, Gaza expands loom imminently
Israeli Hezbollah’s military operations against Hamas in Gaza and Lebanon, as well as assassination of leaders of two Iranian allies, while also taking advantage of Trump’s gaining more leverage by weakening Tehran and its regional allies.
U.S. and Iranian negotiators met in Oman over the weekend to discuss potential agreements to contain Tehran's nuclear program. Trump threatens military action against Iran if diplomacy fails.
Speaking at a forum on investment in Riyadh on Tuesday, Trump said the relationship with Saudi Arabia will be stronger.
According to a pool report from the Wall Street Journal, Trump called the Saudi crown prince a friend and said they had a good relationship, adding that Saudi investment will help create jobs in the United States
Otherwise, the prince, known as MBS, has been working to diversify the Saudi economy, a major reform plan that includes Vision 2030 in 2030, which includes “Giga Prokents” such as Neom, Neom, which is a futuristic city in Belgium. Last year, oil accounted for 62% of the Saudi government's revenue.
The Kingdom expanded some of its ambitions to higher costs and lower oil prices.
Saudi Arabia and the United States maintained strong ties for decades based on the Tieclad arrangement, the kingdom provided oil, and the superpowers provided security for the exchange.
Trump said it was his “desire” that Saudi Arabia would soon sign its own normalization agreement with Israel, adding: “But you will do that in your own time.”
Nonetheless, Netanyahu's opposition to a permanent stop to the cessation of the war in Gaza or the establishment of a Palestinian state has made progress in similar negotiations with the Saudis, sources told Reuters.
