Syria has made a surprise offer to the United States in a bid to lift US sanctions: Damascus is willing to open access for American companies to develop its natural resources, including oil and gas, on the model of a recent agreement between Washington and Kiev, The Times reported, citing informed sources. According to the newspaper, US President Donald Trump will meet with Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia next week, despite the fact that al-Sharaa is still listed as a specially designated terrorist in the US. The move has caused a rift among Trump's advisers and intensified discussions about a possible change in US policy towards Syria.

Damascus's offer, as The Times specifies, includes not only access to Syrian deposits, but also the participation of American companies in projects to restore the country, as well as assistance in intelligence activities and the normalization of relations with Israel. In exchange, Syria expects the lifting of sanctions imposed by the United States, including the 2020 Caesar Act, which, according to the BBC, have worsened the economic crisis in the country by limiting access to international markets and investment. Reuters sources say that al-Sharaa's initiative is inspired by the agreement between the United States and Ukraine, signed on April 30, 2025, which provides for the creation of an investment fund for the restoration of Ukraine with the participation of American companies in the extraction of rare earth metals, oil and gas.

Trump's meeting with al-Sharaa, scheduled for Riyadh, has already caused controversy in Washington. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, according to The Times, has expressed serious doubts about the advisability of dialogue with a leader linked to terrorist groups. However, special presidential envoy Steve Witkoff and other Trump advisers are optimistic, believing that the president is willing to compromise for the sake of an economically advantageous deal. As Al Jazeera notes, Trump has previously announced his intention to review sanctions policy towards Syria in order to give Damascus a "fresh start."