In a move that took many by surprise, President Trump announced this week that the United States will lift long-standing sanctions on Syria. The decision represents a sea change for Syrians, as UN figures estimate that nine out of ten Syrians live in poverty. This move was also something countries like Saudi Arabia and Turkey had been calling for, with Turkish President Erdogan reportedly raising the issue in calls with President Trump. Steven Cook, the Eni Enrico Mattei senior fellow for Middle East and Africa studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, joins Thanos Davelis with the latest analysis.

You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:

Trump says US to lift Syria sanctions, secures $600 billion Saudi deal

Trump’s Middle East trip makes it a big week for Turkey’s Erdogan

Fresh momentum seen in Washington for lifting sanctions on Turkey

European Commission appoints Johannes Hahn as Special Envoy for Cyprus

Cyprus hails new EU envoy

US gets back to EU on trade war ― hinting at Trump’s willingness to find a deal