Macron makes landmark visit to post-Assad Syria ahead of NATO summit

Al Jazeera reported that Macron arrived in Damascus on July 6, 2026, for talks with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, the first visit to Syria by a Western European leader since Bashar al-Assad was ousted in 2024. Al Jazeera said Macron travelled with a delegation of French business representatives and pledged France's support for a sovereign Syria, before heading to Ankara for a NATO summit.