Macron invites Syria’s Sharaa to France for first EU visit

DAMASCUS

French President Emmanuel Macron has held a phone call with Syria’s interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa to congratulate him on assuming his position and invited him to visit France, according to a statement from the Syrian presidency.

The statement noted that Macron congratulated Sharaa on “the liberation” of Syria from the Bashar al-Assad regime and invited him to “visit France in the coming weeks.”

The two discussed security issues in Syria as well as sanctions on the country, which al-Sharaa described as “challenges.”

“Macron stressed his country’s endeavors to lift the sanctions on Syria and pave the way for growth and recovery,” the statement said.

France also plans to host an international conference on Syria on Feb. 13  to support the war-torn country's transition

Earlier this week, Sharaa made his first international trip as president to Saudi Arabia, followed by a visit to Türkiye.

In early January, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot and his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock paid a visit to the Syrian capital for talks on behalf of the European Union.

Last month, EU foreign ministers agreed in principle to begin gradually easing sanctions on Syria to support economic recovery.

"While we aim to move fast, the lifting of sanctions can be reversed if wrong steps are taken," the EU's top diplomat Kaja Kallas said after the decision.