Arabic version: ماكرون يزور سوريا لإجراء محادثات قبل قمة الناتو في تركيا

French President Emmanuel Macron has arrived in Syria for talks with President Ahmed al-Sharaa, in the first visit by a leader from western Europe since Syria’s former dictator, longtime President Bashar al-Assad, was ousted from power in 2024. Macron was greeted at Damascus International Airport on Monday evening by Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani.

According to Al Jazeera, both leaders are scheduled to travel to Ankara for the NATO summit, where al-Sharaa is expected to have a high-profile meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump. Macron expressed France’s commitment to a sovereign and peaceful Syria through a post on social media.

The visit is accompanied by a business delegation aimed at discussing regional security and investment opportunities. Macron previously hosted al-Sharaa in Paris in May 2025, when he urged European leaders and the United States to end longstanding sanctions on Damascus, most of which have since been lifted.

Despite support from France, concerns remain among Western governments regarding the treatment of women and minorities in Syria’s new government and the potential for a transition to a more democratic system. The country, still recovering from over a decade of conflict, faces an enormous financial burden for reconstruction.