Europe

Macron visits Syria as first EU leader since Assad's fall 18 months ago

French President Emmanuel Macron landed in Damascus on Monday evening. He became the first EU leader to visit Syria since the sudden fall of Bashar al-Assad and the rise of Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former militant turned president.

Diplomatic flags outside an official building
Diplomatic flags outside an official buildingPhoto: J.D. Books / Pexels
Deutsche Welle Europe1 h ago

French President Emmanuel Macron landed in Damascus on Monday evening, becoming the first European Union leader to visit Syria since the fall of Bashar al-Assad. The trip came about 18 months after the country's change of government.

Macron's talks were set to cover Syria's reconstruction, security and regional relations with Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former militant leader who now serves as president.

The visit is seen as part of Europe's effort to reshape ties with post-Assad Syria. Observers said steps on sanctions and reconstruction will shape the direction of bilateral relations in the months ahead.

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This article is an AI-curated summary of the original story published by Deutsche Welle Europe. The illustration is a stock photo by J.D. Books from Pexels and is not from the original story.

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