DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron arrived Monday in Syria, making him the first major western leader to visit the war-torn country since the ouster of Bashar al-Assad in 2024.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited April but Macron is the first leader from western Europe or North America to do so.

The French president’s visit comes during a period of relative calm in the Middle East after the monthlong war in Iran and Lebanon, before attending the NATO Summit in Ankara, Turkey. Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa is also expected to attend the summit and hold a high-profile meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump.

Je viens dire l’engagement de la France auprès du peuple syrien. Pour une Syrie souveraine, unie dans sa pluralité et en paix avec ses voisins. Ensemble, ouvrons une nouvelle page de stabilité et de paix.

— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) July 6, 2026