On Jan 3, Foreign Ministers Jean-Noel Barrot from France & Annalena Baerbock from Germany met with Syria's new leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa. They are the highest-ranking Western diplomats to visit since the Islamist takeover of the country. Baerbock told Sharaa that the European Union is ready to support Syria's transition. Although she made it clear: "Europe will not finance new Islamist structures". Both ministers emphasized the need for a peaceful and inclusive transition. Baerbock called on Syria's neighbours to respect its territorial integrity and sovereignty. Later, Barrot tweeted about their progress in discussions with Sharaa. They addressed concerns from minorities about their safety. Recently, protests erupted in Christian areas of Damascus over burning of a Christmas tree. Barrot met with Christian leaders and reassured them that France supports a pluralistic Syria where all individuals have equal rights.

Syria's new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa said local Kurdish-led forces which Turkey opposes should be integrated into the national army, in an interview with Saudi-owned Al Arabiya television on Sunday. Whoever is armed and qualified to join the defence ministry, we will welcome them," he said, adding that based on these criteria "we will open a negotiations dialogue with the SDF... to perhaps find an appropriate solution," referring to the US-backed,...

Syria's de facto leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, is rebuilding his government following the fall of the Assad regime.At a meeting with the Turkish foreign minister Hakan Fidan, he vowed that all weapons in the territory would be brought under government control.

Syria's new leader, Ahmed Al-Sharaa, has declared that the opposition's victory has 'set backIran's regional project by 40 years' while pledging that Syria will no longer serve as a platform for destabilising Arab states. Iran's influence across the region has been massively scaled back in recent months following the October 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas against Israel, who fought back, taking out the top leadership of both groups, attacking Iranian bases in Syria and also striking Iran.

Sharaa led the rebel offensive that toppled the Assad regime in Syria less than two weeks ago.