French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Damascus on Monday, July 7, 2026, marking the first official visit to Syria by a serving European Union head of state since the ouster of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. In a post on X, Macron stated, "I have come to express France's commitment to the Syrian people. For a sovereign Syria, united in its diversity and at peace with its neighbours. Together, let us open a new chapter of stability and peace."
Official Reception and Diplomatic Context
The Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates confirmed Macron's arrival, noting that Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan Al-Shibani received the French President in the capital. "Foreign Minister and Expatriates Mr. Asaad Hassan Al-Shibani received His Excellency the President of the French Republic Mr. Emmanuel Macron in the capital Damascus, upon his arrival to the Syrian Arab Republic in the first official visit he is conducting to the country," the ministry said in a statement on X.
According to France 24, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has been working to restore Syria's international standing and revive its struggling economy after Assad's fall. Macron's visit is the first by a French president since Nicolas Sarkozy traveled to Syria in 2009, before Assad's crackdown on pro-democracy protests in 2011 triggered a civil war that claimed more than half a million lives and left much of the country's infrastructure and industry in ruins.
Security and Reconstruction Challenges
A deadly bombing at a cafe in Damascus last week underscored the security challenges facing Syria's new Islamist-led authorities as they seek to reunify the country after more than 13 years of conflict, France 24 reported. Macron is accompanied by senior business leaders, including CMA CGM chief executive Rodolphe Saade and TotalEnergies chief Patrick Pouyanne, indicating discussions will focus on Syria's reconstruction and potential investments. However, French businesses remain cautious about returning to the country, according to France 24.
Macron is also expected to press Sharaa to uphold his commitment to protecting minority communities following sectarian violence in Syria's Alawite and Druze regions last year. Counterterrorism efforts against the Islamic State group and the continued presence of a small number of French jihadists in Syria are also expected to feature in the talks, according to France 24. Syria joined the international coalition against the Islamic State last year.
Regional Dynamics and Upcoming Summit
Neighbouring Turkey remains a key backer of Syria's new leadership, while Israel has carried out repeated strikes and military incursions into the country since Assad's fall, France 24 reported. Macron is scheduled to travel to Ankara on Tuesday evening for the NATO summit and hold talks with Turkey's president the following day. Meanwhile, the White House has said that US President Donald Trump is expected to meet Sharaa on the sidelines of the summit on Wednesday.
France has opposed suggestions by Trump that Syria could take action against Hezbollah in Lebanon, where Israel and the Iran-backed group have been engaged in war. Sharaa has denied that Syria intends to intervene in Lebanon, as reported by France 24. Macron previously hosted Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in May 2025 during his first official visit to a European country, ahead of Sharaa's subsequent trip to Washington, where he met US President Donald Trump.
