France's president said on Wednesday he would urge the EU to end sanctions on Syria when they come up for renewal in June and lobby the U.S. to follow suit as well as keep its troops there to ensure Syria's stability.

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa says that his country is holding indirect talks with Israel to prevent recent hostilities from getting out of control.

Shara, speaking during his first visit to Europe, said the talks were aimed at de-escalating tensions amid continued Israeli attacks inside Syria.

By John Irish PARIS (Reuters) -Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa will visit Paris on Wednesday, his first trip to Europe since the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad in December, as he seeks international support for his efforts to bring greater stability to his war-shattered country.

The former jihadist, seeking to distance himself from his past, is set to meet Emmanuel Macron on Wedne 7. He aims to restore ties between Paris and Damascus, severed in 2012 following Bashar al-Assad's bloody repression of the Syrian Spring.

Syria's interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa said Wednesday that his country is holding indirect talks with Israel to prevent recent hostilities from getting out of control.

French President Emmanuel Macron said he would pursue the progressive lifting of European Union sanctions against Syria if Syria stuck to its current path, and added he would lobby the United States to also follow suit in this regard.

French President Emmanuel Macron will meet his Syrian counterpart Ahmed al-Sharaa on Wednesday, marking the first European visit for the former rebel.

However, the onset of the Syrian civil war in 2011 led to a cessation of official economic cooperation, with the European Union imposing sanctions on the Assad regime. Despite this, limited private-sector trade persisted, involving pharmaceuticals, agricultural supplies, and consumer goods.

Worldcategory· May 7, 2025 France's Macron: will pursue progressive lifting of EU sanctions on Syria French President Emmanuel Macron said he would pursue the progressive lifting of European ...