Middle East

EU Leaders Meet With Syrian President to Pledge Recovery Support After Years of Civil War

Ahmed al-Sharaa also spoke to French President Emmanuel Macron via telephone to discuss bilateral cooperation and updates within the region.
EU Leaders Meet With Syrian President to Pledge Recovery Support After Years of Civil War
European Council President António Costa (L) reads a statement next to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of Beirut, Lebanon, on Jan. 9, 2026. Hussein Malla/AP Photo
Victoria Friedman
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Senior European Union (EU) officials on Jan. 9 met with Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa in Damascus, pledging financial, economic, and political support to help rebuild the country following years of civil war that became a multi-sided conflict involving global and regional powers.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told Sharaa during a meeting at the Syrian presidential palace that the EU is proposing a new cooperation framework with Damascus.
Victoria Friedman
Victoria Friedman
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Victoria Friedman is a UK-based journalist covering a wide range of international stories, with a particular interest in technology, eastern Europe, and defense.