German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and her French counterpart Jean-Noel Barrot met with Syria’s de facto leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, in Damascus.
This meeting marked the first visit by senior European officials following the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad last month.
The visit is seen as a significant policy shift by European powers, coinciding with deliberations over the potential removal of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham’s (HTS) terrorist designation.
Baerbock made it clear that while Europe is willing to support Syria’s recovery, it will not back any Islamist ideologies in governance or civil institutions.
She emphasized the need for ethnic and religious representation, including women’s voices, to be guaranteed in Syria’s constitutional process and future government.
