The removal of U.S. sanctions on Syria will open the door for Gulf Arab and Turkish investments to help kickstart the economy, spur normalization with Lebanon and talks on normalizing with Israel, and further cement the provisional government's power base. However, the slow pace of recovery, sectarian infighting, Israeli aggression and a resurging Islamic State will hamper Syria's progress. Donald Trump became the first U.S. president in 25 years to meet with a Syrian leader on May 14, a day after he announced the lifting of all sanctions on Syria while visiting Saudi Arabia. In a statement, the White House confirmed that the meeting was attended by interim Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan joining remotely. Additionally, the White House said Trump asked al-Sharaa to deport Palestinian militants in Syria, normalize ties with Israel and help the United States...
