The meeting between Syrian President Ahmad Al-Sharaa and U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House was far from an ordinary political encounter. It marked a pivotal moment redefining relations between Washington and Damascus and opened the door to a comprehensive review of sanctions, the Caesar Act, and the political and economic maps of the Arab Mashreq.
اضافة اعلان
While some viewed the meeting as merely a diplomatic formality, it carried implications far deeper than official statements. For a Syrian president to sit in the Oval Office after decades of isolation and sanctions signals that the United States has begun to realize that its policy of exclusion is no longer effective. The Syrian file can no longer be ignored or frozen; it has become an integral part of a broader equation encompassing Mediterranean security, Iranian influence, and regional energy and migration issues.
A superficial analysis might describe this as an “American opening to the new Syria,” but the reality is more complex. The tools of pressure have evolved into tools of bargaining. The U.S. Caesar Act, which has crippled Syria’s economy since 2019, has now turned into a negotiation instrument rather than a moral sanction. The American message was clear: sanctions could be eased in exchange for political, economic, and security guarantees. In other words, Syria’s economy has become part of a broader trade-off involving regional influence and the future of Middle Eastern security arrangements.
Yet the overlooked paradox is that Washington understands that lifting sanctions alone will not necessarily revive Syria’s economy. The Syrian financial system has been detached from the international market for years, and banks and corporations are unlikely to rush back to a country still lacking legal guarantees and political stability. In short, lifting restrictions does not mean an immediate flow of capital, but rather the beginning of a test of trust.
For Jordan, the implications are especially significant. As the country that bore the burden of hosting over a million Syrian refugees during the war and suffered from the consequences of the Caesar Act, which disrupted trade with Syria, any easing of sanctions could breathe new life into Jordanian-Syrian economic ties.
What is often overlooked, however, is Jordan’s strategic opportunity to become a humanitarian and economic corridor for Syria’s reconstruction. Amman can position itself as a partner to both Washington and Damascus through logistical and investment projects that benefit all sides and rejuvenate the Jordanian economy—provided these efforts are managed with political acumen that maintains balance with both Western and Arab powers.
At the same time, Jordan realizes that a hasty or uncalculated opening toward Damascus could expose it to conflicting pressures—from Washington, which wants to keep control of the pace of engagement, and from domestic actors wary of potential economic or security repercussions. Hence, a carefully measured pragmatism will likely define Jordan’s approach in the coming phase.
Regionally, the meeting carried a hidden dimension: the re-recognition of Syria as an active player in the regional balance of power rather than merely a theater of conflict. This reemergence will influence relations with Lebanon, Iraq, and even Turkey, which will have to reconsider its strategy in northern Syria. Meanwhile, Iran is watching closely as Washington reopens the door to Damascus under new terms that could potentially limit its influence there.
In essence, the Al-Sharaa–Trump meeting is not just a new chapter but the preface to an entirely new book in regional politics. Syria is gradually emerging from isolation, the United States is testing a more pragmatic approach based on realism rather than exclusion, and Jordan stands at a historic crossroads—either to seize its role as a bridge to the post-sanctions era or remain on the sidelines of major transformations.
Ultimately, what will determine the outcome of this meeting is not the statements or photographs from the White House, but the ability to translate intentions into tangible projects and manage the intricate web of interests linking Syria, the U.S., and Jordan. For the first time in decades, Syria is being reframed not as a “crisis” but as an “opportunity.” If wisely leveraged, it could become the gateway to a comprehensive reshaping of the Middle East—from Damascus to Amman, and through everything that ties them in history and shared destiny.
