Nov 13, 2025
In this episode of
Middle East Focus, hosts Alistair Taylor and Matthew
Czekaj are joined by MEI Senior Fellow Charles Lister to unpack the
historic November 10 meeting between US President Donald Trump and
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in the Oval Office as well as
assess post-Assad Syria's evolution over the past year. Lister, who
recently returned from Damascus, offers on-the-ground insights into
the country’s transition, the challenges of post-war recovery, and
the prospects for lifting US sanctions under the Caesar Act. The
conversation explores how the new Syrian government is balancing
engagement with the United States and regional partners, its
decision to join the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, and what
these developments could mean for Syria’s long-term stability and
reintegration into the Middle East.
Recorded on November 12, 2025.
Read Charles Lister's recent reflection on how the US can
best help Syria recover and rebuild, co-authored with General
Joseph Votel, here.