US President Donald Trump met with Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa at the White House.
“The Syrian president has arrived at the White House. The meeting between President Trump and President al-Sharaa has also begun,” the White House press service reported.
Later, reporters saw al-Sharaa’s motorcade leaving the White House. The leaders of the two countries did not issue joint statements and did not appear before the cameras.
As Reuters reports, al-Sharaa’s arrival at the White House was more modest than the visits of other foreign leaders are usually organized. He entered the White House, but not through the main entrance of the West Wing, where cameras are located and where the president often greets foreign guests personally, but through a different door.
Al-Sharaa’s arrival in Washington is historic: no Syrian president has ever paid an official visit to the United States before.
The last time a high-ranking Syrian official visited the White House was in December 1999. At that time, it was Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Sharaa, who was participating in peace negotiations with Israel.
In addition, until recently, al-Sharaa was considered a terrorist, for whose capture the White House had promised a reward of $ 10 million.
Ahmed al-Sharaa, who came to power after Assad’s departure, is attempting to restore relations with countries that have avoided contact with Damascus for years.
