U.S. President Donald Trump is set to meet with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa at the White House on Monday, press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced on Tuesday.

Since taking control from Bashar al-Assad last December, al-Sharaa has embarked on several international trips as his transitional government works to restore Syria’s diplomatic ties with major powers that distanced themselves during Assad’s time in office.

Trump has sought to maintain a positive relationship with al-Sharaa. In June, he lifted most U.S. sanctions on Syria, after previously meeting with the Syrian leader during his visit to Saudi Arabia in May.

“When the president was in the Middle East, he made the historic decision to lift sanctions on Syria to give them a real chance at peace and I think the administration, we’ve seen good progress on that front under their new leadership,” she said.