Syria’s President Ahmed al-Sharaa and French President Emmanuel Macron announced at a joint press conference at the People’s Palace in Damascus on Tuesday that they had agreed on an exchange of ambassadors between the two countries.
Describing the meeting as a "historic turning point," Sharaa said Syria was opening its doors to equal partnership and that his country served as a vital communication bridge between East and West.
The two leaders also condemned Israel’s violations of Syria’s sovereignty. Sharaa said, "We clearly addressed Israel’s ongoing violations, which undermine the region’s security. Real stability requires international commitment for Israel to return to the 1974 Separation of Forces Agreement and fully withdraw from territories it has occupied since December 8, 2024."
Macron stressed that France was committed to a free, sovereign, and territorially integral Syria. "The rule of law alone will allow a new Syria to be built, and it is essential that the Syrian state has control over all its territory," he said.
The French President said his country would return more than 50 million euros to Syria, money that was the corrupt gains of a member of a former "tyrant’s" family. With this, he was referring to former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Also during the meeting, they announced that strategic agreements and contracts were signed with major French companies and that concrete projects serving both peoples were being developed.
On Lebanon, the two leaders agreed on the importance of supporting the country’s stability and the sovereignty of its institutions. Sharaa said, "Extending state authority and imposing a legitimate monopoly on weapons are the only guarantee of Lebanon’s national security."
Macron noted that the fight against terrorism was difficult but that Sharaa was pursuing it with determination. He also said that for Syria’s future, victims’ voices must be heard, justice must be served, and criminals must be prosecuted.
Earlier on Tuesday, two primitive explosive devices detonated near the Ministry of Tourism in Damascus, wounding 18 people, including four police officers. Macron said, "We are ready to accompany you in prosecuting those who committed crimes."
Macron’s visit was the first by a French president to Damascus in 18 years. The last visit took place in September 2008 by then-President Nicolas Sarkozy.
The visit is seen as a sign of growing rapprochement between Paris and Damascus, following Sharaa’s trip to France in May 2025, his first European and Western destination since taking office.
