Macron’s Damascus visit signals French bid for influence in new Syria, analysts say
LONDON: French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Damascus is being widely hailed as historic, making him the first European Union leader to visit Syria since the ouster of longtime ruler Bashar Assad in late 2024.
For a country emerging from about 14 years of war, diplomatic isolation and economic freefall, the symbolism might be unmistakable. But the visit also raises a pressing question: What does France stand to gain from closer ties with Damascus?
For some analysts, France’s push to restore diplomatic ties and support Syria’s recovery is hardly surprising.
“It is not surprising that France is the first European country to reengage with Syria after Assad’s fall,” Hussam Hammoud, a Syrian journalist and geopolitical analyst, told Arab News.
