Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been actively shaping U.S. foreign policy across multiple critical regions this week. On November 11, Rubio announced the suspension of mandatory sanctions imposed under the Caesar Act on Syria, a significant shift in American diplomatic approach toward the war-torn nation. The Trump administration framed this decision as supporting stability and peace in the region while enabling Damascus to rebuild its economy after years of conflict and international isolation.
The U.S. Departments of the Treasury and Commerce extended the partial suspension of the Caesar Act's enforcement for 180 days. This move halts most sanctions imposed under the law, except those involving financial or commercial transactions with Russia or Iran. However, sanctions remain in force on what officials called the worst of the worst, including former president Bashar al-Assad and his close associates, human rights abusers, and Captagon traffickers. Rubio emphasized that Washington expects tangible steps from the Syrian government to turn the page on the past and work toward peace. This announcement followed the first-ever White House visit by Syrian transitional president Ahmad al-Sharaa, signaling a potential warming of relations.
Meanwhile, Rubio is preparing for critical discussions at the Group of Seven foreign ministers meeting in Ontario's Niagara region on November 12 and 13. According to Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand, Rubio has not raised concerns about President Trump's musings regarding Canada becoming the 51st state. The State Department indicated that Rubio's discussions will focus on advancing President Trump's peace initiatives in Ukraine and Gaza, maritime security, Haiti, Sudan, supply chain resiliency, and critical minerals.
On another front, Rubio faces scrutiny from Senate Democrats regarding a seven point five million dollar payment to Equatorial Guinea. Senator Jeanne Shaheen questioned whether this payment from the migration and refugee assistance fund constitutes a permissible use of taxpayer dollars. The payment aims to secure Equatorial Guinea's agreement to accept third country nationals being deported from the United States. Shaheen expressed serious concerns, noting that Equatorial Guinea ranks 173rd out of 180 countries for corruption according to Transparency International.
Rubio has also met with Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan to discuss bilateral and regional issues, demonstrating continued engagement across multiple diplomatic fronts.
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