Adrian Blomfield: What exactly has changed to make Donald Trump cut a deal with a former terrorist?
Briefly

In a surprising turn of diplomatic events, U.S. President Donald Trump's recent 33-minute meeting with Ahmed al-Sharaa, the new Syrian leader and former al-Qaeda member, showcases a significant departure from traditional diplomatic practices. Historically unthinkable, such a meeting reflects the evolving dynamics of U.S. relations in the Middle East and highlights an unprecedented approach to foreign policy under Trump's administration. This meeting may symbolize an attempt to reshape alliances in a region characterized by longstanding conflict and complex political landscapes.
The idea of the president of the United States holding talks and posing for photographs with a former al-Qaeda leader would once have been inconceivable.
Donald Trump's 33-minute meeting with Ahmed al-Sharaa, the new Syrian leader, yesterday morning is therefore an extraordinarily symbolic moment in the modern history of the Middle East.
Read at Independent
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