Trump considers lifting sanctions on Syria and hopes for a 'new beginning' with Damascus

The President of the United States, Donald Trump, stated on Monday that he is considering the possibility of lifting the sanctions imposed by his country on Syria, with the aim of having a "new beginning" with Damascus, following the fall of Bashar al Assad's regime and the assumption of Ahmed al-Sharaa.

According to Trump, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan asked him to consider ending the economic sanctions against Syria. He also confirmed that there are ongoing talks with al-Sharaa's government about the situation in the country after the fall of Assad's regime in December.

"We'll have to make a decision on the sanctions, which we might very well ease. Maybe we'll lift them from Syria because we want to give them a new beginning. But President Erdogan has asked me about that, a lot of people have asked me about that," Trump declared to reporters from the White House.

"The way we've sanctioned them doesn't give them much room to maneuver. So we want to see if we can help them. So we'll make that decision," he added.

These statements represent a new sign that the West might be close to lifting the economic restrictions imposed on Syria, as the country tries to recover after almost fifteen years of a brutal civil war.

Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Wednesday that the European Union will begin to gradually lift  its sanctions against Syria.

"I told the president that if he continues his path, we will continue ours: first, gradually lifting the European economic sanctions," Macron stated while receiving Syrian President Ahmed al Sharaa in Paris.

The French leader also noted that the European Union will promote a "process of persuasion" with the United States to encourage them to adopt the same stance as Washington, and that it will also collaborate with the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) in creating a regional framework to facilitate the return of key professionals and human resources to Syria.

The French president assured that he will ensure that within that framework, the priorities he considers essential are taken into account, as Macron emphasized, "the stability and cohesion of Syria are equally crucial for the stability of the entire Middle East."

He also reiterated that he will actively push for the sanctions imposed during the previous regime of Bashar al-Assad not to be prolonged and that he will work alongside those member states that still have "reservations" on the matter.