Trump expected to meet with Syrian president in Riyadh on Wednesday

President Trump is planning to meet with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa in Riyadh on Wednesday, according to two sources familiar with the plan.Why it matters: The extraordinary talks with al-Sharaa — who remains on the U.S. terrorist list due to his past ties with al-Qaeda and ISIS — would mark the first meeting between a U.S. and Syrian president in 25 years.The last such meeting took place in 2000, when then-President Bill Clinton met with then-Syrian President Hafez al-Assad in Geneva as part of efforts to broker an Israeli-Syrian peace deal.Assad's son, Bashar al-Assad, was toppled in December in a lightning rebel offensive that brought al-Sharaa to power after 14 years of devastating civil war."The president agreed to say hello to the Syrian president while in Saudi Arabia tomorrow," a White House official told Axios.When asked by reporters Tuesday if he expects to meet with al-Sharaa, Trump replied: "Yes, I think so"The big picture: A meeting between Trump and al-Sharaa could mark a shift in the administration's policy toward the new Syria government, which is struggling to rebuild the country under the weight of U.S. sanctions.In his first few weeks in office, Trump referred to al-Sharaa as "a Jihadi" when speaking with foreign leaders, a source with direct knowledge said. One of Trump's stated goals is to fully withdraw all remaining U.S. troops from Syria — a process he started in recent weeks. A meeting and potential coordination with the Syrian president could accelerate that process.Behind the scenes: Two sources with knowledge of the issue said Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, along with several countries like Turkey, Qatar and France, urged Trump to hold the meeting on the sidelines of his summit with Gulf leaders in Riyadh on Wednesday. What to watch: A source with direct knowledge said al-Sharaa is expected to ask Trump to lift or at least ease U.S. sanctions on Syria, which have been in place since the Assad regime was in power. Before departing for Saudi Arabia on Monday, Trump said he is considering lifting the sanctions to allow Syria to have a "fresh start.""[Turkey's] President Erdogan asked me about that. Many people ask me about that. We want to see if we can help them our. We will make a determination," Trump said. What they're saying: Charles Lister, director of the Syria program at the Middle East Institute, told Axios that the meeting could be a make-or-break moment for a country that urgently needs U.S. engagement and sanctions relief."If President Trump wants to bring peace to the Middle East, the departure of Assad's regime and the near-defeat of Iran in the Levant presents him a historic opportunity — but Damascus will be central to whether that succeeds or fails," Lister said."A Syrian olive branch has been extended for several months; it's up to Trump whether that's grasped or not."Mouaz Moustafa, the director of the Washington-based Syrian Emergency Task Force, briefed White House officials after meeting with al-Sharaa in Damascus for four hours several days ago.He told Axios al-Sharaa wants to meet Trump and present his vision for the country, and that he expressed strong interest in partnering with the U.S. on Syria's energy sector — including a proposal to allow a U.S. entity to manage Syria's oil and gas fields. Al-Sharaa emphasized his commitment to preventing Iranian reentry into Syria and continuing close cooperation with the U.S. on counterterrorism efforts, including the handling of ISIS prisoners, Moustafa added.Between the lines: The meeting would also mark another instance of Trump defying Israel's preferred policy, after the U.S. engaged with direct talks with Iran and negotiated a ceasefire with the Houthis. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu is deeply skeptical towards the new Syrian government due to al-Sharaa and his advisers' past affiliation with al-Qaeda. Israel took over territory inside Syria to create a buffer zone after the collapse of the Assad regime, and has been conducting air strikes on Syrian military bases and weapons depot.

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