German and French Foreign Ministers Call for Inclusive Transition in Post-Assad Syria
Annalena Baerbock and Jean-Noël Barrot meet Syria's new Islamist leader, emphasizing women's rights and rejecting funding for Islamist structures.
- German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot visited Damascus to meet Syria's de facto leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, following the ousting of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.
- Ahmed al-Sharaa, leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), declined to shake Baerbock's hand but briefly greeted Barrot, highlighting cultural and religious practices in the region.
- Baerbock and Barrot stressed the importance of women's rights, minority inclusion, and a peaceful political transition as prerequisites for European support.
- The ministers made clear that the European Union would not fund Islamist structures, calling for a political dialogue involving all ethnic and religious groups in Syria.
- The visit marks the first engagement by EU ministers with Syria's new leadership, signaling cautious diplomatic re-engagement while monitoring the regime's actions closely.
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