Syria's Sharaa meets French president Macron in Paris

PARIS,— Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa arrived in Paris on Wednesday for his first European visit since the ousting of Bashar al-Assad last December, meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron to discuss sanctions relief, economic recovery, and security, officials said.

Macron stated he would press the European Union to let its sanctions on Syria expire when they come up for renewal in June and would also lobby the United States to ease its own measures and retain its military forces to help stabilize Syria.

“I told President Sharaa that if he continues on this course, we would respond in kind — beginning with gradually lifting EU sanctions and then encouraging our American partners to take similar steps,” Macron said.

The EU has already rolled back some sanctions, but others targeting individuals and businesses are set to lapse next month. Renewing them would require agreement from all 27 EU member states.

The bloc may also consider partial renewals or exemptions for entities vital to Syria’s economic recovery, such as the Central Bank.

Sharaa, speaking alongside Macron, said, “We had an extensive discussion on the sanctions, and I explained the impacts. These were measures imposed on the former regime, and they no longer have justification today.”

The World Bank estimates that rebuilding Syria will cost over $250 billion after 14 years of conflict that left the economy shattered. Sharaa is calling for the lifting of sanctions to kickstart economic activity.

Despite remaining on a terrorism sanctions list for his previous leadership of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, an ex-al-Qaida affiliate, Sharaa was granted a U.N. exemption to travel to France for the visit.

Ahmed al-Sharaa, also known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, is an Islamist whose past includes involvement with al-Qaeda and ISIS. He later founded the al-Nusra Front, which was initially aligned with al-Qaeda before rebranding as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).

Talks between the two leaders included Syria’s sovereignty, the protection of minorities such as the Alawites and Druze following recent attacks, efforts to counter Islamic State militants, and the organization of humanitarian aid and economic assistance, French sources said.

France’s engagement marks a diplomatic gain for Sharaa at a time when the U.S. has yet to acknowledge any authority as Syria’s legitimate government.

According to sources, Syria recently responded to a U.S. list of conditions for potential partial sanctions relief.

Washington had issued a six-month exemption in January to allow humanitarian aid into Syria. Meeting all U.S. demands could lead to a two-year extension or further exemptions, sources told Reuters.

In recent months, France has played a mediating role between Sharaa’s administration and Kurdish groups, while sources noted the U.S. plans to cut its 2,000-strong military presence in Syria by half in the coming months.

Macron said he is urging Washington to delay its pullout, warning that premature withdrawal could destabilize Syria during this delicate transition period.

France has been expanding its ties with Sharaa’s transitional government, having appointed a chargé d’affaires in Damascus last month, supported by a small diplomatic team, as a preliminary step toward fully reopening its embassy.

(With files from Reuters)