By Yousef Saba, Gram Slattery, Pesha Magid and Nafisa Eltahir RIYADH (Reuters) -President Donald Trump kicked off his trip to the Gulf on Tuesday with a surprise announcement that the United States will lift long-standing sanctions on Syria,

U.S. President Donald Trump touched down in Saudi Arabia aboard Air Force One on Tuesday on the first stop of four day visit to the region, the first major overseas trip of his second term, with a focus on securing investment in the U.

Trump's visit comes as he faces scrutiny over a plan to accept a luxury jet from the Qatari royal family.

President Donald Trump on Monday raised the prospect of joining talks between Russia and Ukraine in Turkey on Thursday. Trump will be visiting Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. He said "I think you may have a good result out of the Thursday meeting in Turkey between Russia and Ukraine.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said his country “would appreciate” Trump’s attendance, and said he supported Trump’s call for direct talks between himself and Russian President Vladimir Putin.