Deals in the Desert

President Trump is wrapping up his jam-packed Middle East business trip today. 

Wednesday, Trump met with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, urging the former Islamist militant to deport all “foreign terrorists” from Syria and mend its ties with Israel. The encounter—the first U.S.-Syria presidential meeting since 2000—followed Trump’s announcement that he would lift all U.S. sanctions on the Middle Eastern nation.

Then #47 jetted to Qatar and the UAE, signing multibillion-dollar business deals between the U.S. and the Persian Gulf countries.

Not on the itinerary? Turkey. Both President Trump and Russian President Putin decided to skip a visit to Istanbul yesterday. On Sunday, Putin had suggested he was ready to hold “direct negotiations” for peace with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy; Zelenskyy showed up, but refused to negotiate with Putin’s “stand-in props.”

CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE
Christians should be committed to praying for world leaders to be wise and to work towards peaceful resolutions, while simultaneously placing our hope in God, not government.

“First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all those who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.”
1 Timothy 2:1-2 (CSB) (read full passage)