Overview

• Ahmed al-Sharaa, Syria's interim president and former HTS leader, met with Emmanuel Macron in Paris after receiving a UN travel exemption.
• Macron emphasized the need for inclusive governance, minority protections, and counterterrorism efforts in Syria as conditions for easing sanctions.
• Al-Sharaa confirmed ongoing indirect negotiations with Israel to de-escalate cross-border hostilities, following recent Israeli airstrikes in Syria.
• Sectarian violence, including deadly clashes involving Alawite and Druze communities, has raised doubts about the interim government's control over extremist factions.
• France is advocating for gradual sanctions relief to support Syria's reconstruction, while urging the U.S. and EU to align on this approach.