Betul Yilmaz
30 October 2025•Update: 30 October 2025
ISTANBUL
Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa held talks in Damascus on Thursday with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul to discuss ways of strengthening bilateral ties and cooperation in various fields.
The meeting focused on ways to bolster bilateral relations between Damascus and Berlin and boost cooperation in the political, economic, and humanitarian fields, in addition to the latest regional and international developments of common interest, the Syrian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
“The two sides stressed the importance of diplomatic dialogue and direct communication to support regional stability and enhance opportunities for cooperation in a way that serves the interests of the two friendly peoples,” the ministry said.
Wadephul, in pre-departure statements, vowed support for Syria's political transition and economic recovery and emphasized that the country's stability is crucial for Germany's interests.
He said “a safe and stable Syria represents a goal for Germany and Europe,” the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported.
Syria “can become a country that plays a major role in the region as a whole and a link between the Gulf region and the Mediterranean Sea,” he added.
The German minister said he was “deeply moved by the scale of destruction he saw around Damascus, which reminded him of the devastation Germany witnessed in 1945 after World War II.” He stressed that it is his country’s “duty to contribute to Syria’s reconstruction, as Germany has confidence in the new Syrian direction.”
German investors “will move to invest in Syria if a suitable climate is provided,” Wadephul said, pointing out that he discussed with his Syrian counterpart, Asaad al-Shaibani, the need for “a secure legal framework, an effective banking system, and political stability to strengthen economic cooperation between the two countries.”
Syria has been working to revive the country’s economy by attracting investors and signing trade agreements with regional states and companies after Bashar al-Assad fled to Russia in late 2024, ending the Baath Party’s decades-long rule since 1963.
