After years of war, sanctions, and diplomatic tensions, the meeting took place in the Oval Office privately, without press access or live images, and only an official photograph was released hours later.
Ahmed al Sharaa, also known as Abu Mohammad al Jolani and former commander of the group Hayat Tahrir al Sham (HTS), linked to Al Qaeda, was considered for years one of Washington's main enemies. At the beginning of the century, he passed through several U.S. prisons in Iraq, including the infamous Abu Ghraib center. However, his return to the political scene symbolizes a surprising shift in international politics.
The meeting concluded with Syria formally joining the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, after months of military cooperation with the United States. This strategic change marks a turning point in the relations between Washington and Damascus, reshaping the geopolitical balance in the Middle East.