U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-New Hampshire, is meeting with world leaders in New York as a week of high-level meetings gets underway at the United Nations.Shaheen announced earlier this year that she is not running for re-election, but in her final two years of service in the Senate, she is continuing to carry out a crucial role in American foreign policy.Shaheen is the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, making her the top Democrat involved in American foreign policy. She can advocate on issues of American global leadership while sometimes disagreeing with the Trump Administration.”I look for areas that we agree on and point out where I disagree,” Shaheen said. “One of those areas of agreement is in Syria.” Shaheen sat down with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa on Monday afternoon at the Syrian mission to the U.N. She said a top priority she shares with the Trump Administration is to lay the groundwork for a peaceful future after years of conflict in Syria.>> Download the free WMUR app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play > Subscribe to WMUR’s YouTube channel

NEW YORK —

U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-New Hampshire, is meeting with world leaders in New York as a week of high-level meetings gets underway at the United Nations.

Shaheen announced earlier this year that she is not running for re-election, but in her final two years of service in the Senate, she is continuing to carry out a crucial role in American foreign policy.

Shaheen is the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, making her the top Democrat involved in American foreign policy. She can advocate on issues of American global leadership while sometimes disagreeing with the Trump Administration.

“I look for areas that we agree on and point out where I disagree,” Shaheen said. “One of those areas of agreement is in Syria.”

Shaheen sat down with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa on Monday afternoon at the Syrian mission to the U.N. She said a top priority she shares with the Trump Administration is to lay the groundwork for a peaceful future after years of conflict in Syria.

>> Download the free WMUR app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play

“The president has called for the lifting of sanctions on Syria that we put in place when the Assad regime was killing hundreds of thousands of their own people,” Shaheen said. “I have legislation that’s bipartisan that would lift those sanctions in a way that would allow investment in Syria. I think that’s really important if we’re going to provide stability in the country.”

Ukraine and Israel are the big topics this week at the U.N., with several U.S. allies offering formal recognition of a Palestinian state ahead of the General Assembly.

While the focus is global, Shaheen said the work of American foreign policy has an impact on everyday life at home.

“There are implications for us in New Hampshire for what we do internationally,” she said. “We’ve seen it already this year with tariffs.”

Anticipation is high for Tuesday, when President Donald Trump is expected to address the General Assembly. Shaheen said she’s eager to hear what is expected to be a new approach to Haiti, which has become what she describes as a failed state ruled by gangs.

>> Subscribe to WMUR’s YouTube channel