New York: US President Donald Trump convened a high-profile meeting on Tuesday with eight Muslim and Arab leaders, including Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. Trump described the session as his “most important meeting,” highlighting the urgency of addressing the Gaza conflict.
The gathering also included Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Jordan’s King Abdullah II, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly.
“We want to end the war in Gaza. We’re going to end it. Maybe we can end it right now,” Trump told reporters at the start of the 50-minute session, emphasizing the need for regional peace. He also praised Indonesian President Subianto for his UNGA speech, which underlined that lasting peace in the Middle East requires ensuring Israel’s security.
Reports indicate that Trump proposed sending troops from Arab and Muslim countries to Gaza to facilitate an Israeli withdrawal, along with financial contributions for reconstruction and governance. While the Muslim leaders offered their own proposals, no joint action plan was finalized during the meeting.
Following the main session, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar held an informal discussion with Trump, while Erdogan described his engagement with the US president as positive.
Separately, Sharif met Kuwait’s Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khalid Al-Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah and Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker. In a statement marking Saudi Arabia’s National Day, Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan’s longstanding ties with Riyadh, describing the kingdom’s economic support as critical to Pakistan’s stability. He thanked the Saudi people for their hospitality during his recent visit and highlighted the contributions of the Pakistani community in the kingdom to the prosperity of both nations.
Sharif concluded by stressing Pakistan’s commitment to further strengthening its enduring partnership with Saudi Arabia, built on the foundations of Islam, history, brotherhood, and trust.
