Overview
- Macron traveled to Damascus for a two-day visit and was received by Syrian officials after arriving late Monday, with talks scheduled to include an informal meeting followed by an official session and press appearance.
- Two explosions detonated near the hotel where Macron had stayed on Tuesday, one placed in a rubbish container and the other in a parked vehicle, and Syrian state media and security sources reported roughly 18 people wounded.
- The Élysée Palace confirmed the president was safe, that he did not hear the blasts, and that he would continue his scheduled meetings at the presidential palace with interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa.
- Macron's itinerary includes the symbolic return of 23 archaeological objects and efforts to mobilize conditional reconstruction investment tied to pluralism and minority protections.
- The visit underscores a broader shift in Syria's international standing since Assad's ouster in December 2024 and raises questions about whether security in Damascus will permit the foreign investment and political reforms Macron is seeking, with the president due to travel next to a NATO summit in Ankara.