President Trump, speaking in Saudi Arabia, said he will order the end of sanctions against Syria to normalize relations with its new government.

President Trump met with Syria's interim President on Wednesday, a day after lifting sanctions and marking a major policy shift towards peace and rebuilding relations.

When President Donald Trump announced in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday that he would lift all sanctions on Syria, the decision, which will boost a country devastated by 13 years of war, took many in the region by surprise.

P resident Donald Trump announced on Tuesday, May 13, that he plans to end the U.S. sanctions imposed on Syria, which have been in place for over 45 years. Announcing the news on the first day of his Middle East tour, during the U.S.-Saudi Investment Forum, Trump said he would be lifting sanctions “in order to give them [Syria] greatness.”

The day began with pomp in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, and ended in Qatar after the U.S. leader was greeted with camels and sped to what he said was a “perfecto” marble palace.

A Lebanese economist said Wednesday that the impact of U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement on easing sanctions in Syria will be positive but "could take some time," depending on the stability of the country.

The U.S. has agreed to sell Saudi Arabia an arms package worth nearly $142 billion, the White House announced Tuesday, as President Donald Trump kicked off his Middle East trip in Riyadh. Described by the Trump administration as "the largest defense cooperation agreement" in history,

Trump arrived in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Tuesday after a 15-hour flight for a four-day tour of the Middle East. Upon arriving, he was met by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman after disembarking from Air Force One before attending a Saudi-U.S. Investment forum.

President Donald Trump said he will move to normalize relations and lift sanctions on Syria’s new government to give the country “a chance at peace.”