EU foreign policy chief invited top Syrian diplomat to Brussels

BRUSSELS

The EU foreign policy chief has invited Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani to pay a visit to Brussels, the bloc's spokesman for foreign affairs said Thursday.

At a news conference in Brussels, Anouar El Anouni answered questions regarding invitations of Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa to Paris and the Syrian foreign minister to Brussels.

Asked about French President Emmanuel Macron's invitation to Sharaa to Paris, Anouni said although the Syrian leader is currently banned from travelling to EU countries as he is under sanctions, he could be exempted if requested by a member state.

The spokesman also said that Kaja Kallas invited Shaibani to Brussels during her recent visit to Riyadh.

On Wednesday, Macron congratulated his Syrian counterpart on assuming office, reaffirming French commitment to lifting sanctions on Damascus.

According to the Syrian presidency, Sharaa had received an invitation from the French president to visit Paris in the coming weeks.

Sharaa, who led anti-regime groups to remove the Assad regime in December, was declared president last week.

Bashar al-Assad, Syria’s leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia on Dec. 8, 2024, ending his family's decades-long rule.