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French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Damascus on Monday, marking the first visit by a Western European head of state since Syria's leadership transition. The high-profile diplomatic stop comes as Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa actively works to reintegrate the country into the international community following the collapse of the Bashar al-Assad regime in December 2024.
Macron said on X that he had come to reaffirm France's commitment to the Syrian people and to a Syria that is sovereign, united in its diversity and at peace with its neighbors. The message set the tone for a visit focused on diplomacy, reconstruction and regional stability.
Macron and Sharaa visited the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus after a working dinner. The mosque visit gave the trip a symbolic public moment before official meetings scheduled for Tuesday.
The visit is described as a pivotal step in the process of restoring Syria's international presence.
Macron was accompanied by major economic figures, including CMA CGM chief executive Rodolphe Saade and TotalEnergies head Patrick Pouyanne. Talks are expected to touch on reconstruction and investment, although French businesses remain cautious about returning.
The visit took place days after a deadly bombing at a Damascus cafe, underlining the security challenges facing the new authorities. Sharaa's government is trying to reunify the country after more than 13 years of conflict that killed over half a million people and devastated infrastructure and industry.
The French president is expected to focus on Sharaa's pledge to protect minorities after sectarian violence in Alawite and Druze areas last year. Alawites and Druze are minority communities in Syria, and their security remains part of the wider political transition.
France's Syria policy is unfolding in a complicated regional setting. Türkiye is a key supporter of Syria's new authorities, while Israel has carried out repeated incursions and bombings in Syria since Assad's overthrow.
Several explosions were reported in central Damascus on Tuesday after explosive devices detonated near the hotel where French President Emmanuel Macron was staying during his official trip to Syria, according to local reports.
Macron is due to travel to Ankara on Tuesday evening for the NATO summit and hold talks the following day with Türkiye's president. The White House has said U.S. President Donald Trump will meet Sharaa on Wednesday on the sidelines of the summit.
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