French President Emmanuel Macron touched down in Syria on Monday, according to Syria’s state news agency, becoming the first leader of a European Union nation to visit Damascus since rebel forces ousted longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in 2024.
The historic trip signals a major shift in how the international community views Syria under its new leadership. The country is now led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former al Qaeda commander who has managed to forge strong relationships with Western and Middle Eastern nations — governments that had previously refused to engage with the Assad regime.
Sharaa is working to rebuild a nation left in ruins after 13 years of devastating civil war, and Macron’s visit underscores Syria’s rapidly changing role in the geopolitical landscape of the region.
