Damascus is open to cooperation but insists national sovereignty must be respected. Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa has signaled openness to meeting US demands for lifting sanctions but insists that these conditions must not undermine the country’s sovereignty or harm its people. During a meeting with US Congressman Cory Mills, Sharaa laid out clear prerequisites for deeper engagement with Washington.
There have been questions posed about Syria’s potential participation in the Abraham Accords, a series of normalization agreements between Israel and several Arab nations. Mills, a Republican from Florida, described a 90-minute meeting with Sharaa as “positive,” noting that the Syrian leader expressed conditional interest in joining the Accords and advancing peace efforts with Israel.
“First [Israel] must stop their interference in Syria, stop the bombing, withdraw from the Syrian territories they’ve entered. Then we can talk about the agreement,” President al-Sharaa said, according to a high-ranking Syrian government source to Levant24. “All the countries that signed the agreements—Israel doesn’t occupy their land.”
Measured Optimism from Washington
US officials have acknowledged a “conditional opportunity” for improved relations with Syria, though they maintain a cautious stance. Tim Lenderking, the State Department’s senior official for Near Eastern Affairs, said Washington would not rush to lift sanctions.
“There are clear and specific demands communicated to the new Syrian government,” Lenderking said during a webinar hosted by the National Council on US-Arab Relations. “Our demands are not impossible, and we want this relationship to succeed.”
Among those demands are full cooperation with the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), addressing the fate of missing Americans including journalist Austin Tice, and the removal of foreign fighters from official government positions. Washington is also seeking guarantees for the safety of civilians and regional allies, particularly Israel.
Lenderking emphasized that “hardly a day goes by” without Syria being discussed in the State Department. Still, he noted that the US has not yet initiated direct engagement with Syria’s new leadership and is watching closely for signs of genuine reform.
First Congressional Visit in Years
Last week’s meetings in Damascus marked the first US congressional visit since the fall of the Assad regime. Mills, joined by Rep. Marilyn Stutzman of Indiana, met with Syrian officials including Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani. The visit, described as a “fact-finding mission,” included discussions on border security and economic integration.
In interviews following the visit, Mills said he would brief former President Donald Trump and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz on the visit. He also conveyed that sanctions are severely limiting Syria’s ability to modernize and recover, citing barriers to communication, trade, and infrastructure development.
Despite ideological divides, Mills expressed cautious optimism. “At one point, Germany and Japan were our enemies,” he said. “But we must overcome this if we want to achieve stability in Syria.”
While both sides appear willing to talk, whether they can find common ground remains uncertain.
