Macron to meet al-Sharaa in Syrian leader’s first trip to Europe

PARIS  — French President Emmanuel Macron will on Wednesday host Ahmed al-Sharaa on the Syrian leader’s first trip to Europe, the French presidency said.

During the visit, Macron will “reiterate France’s support for the building of a new Syria, a free Syria, stable, sovereign and respectful of all the communities of the Syrian society,” the statement read.

“This meeting is part of France’s historic commitment to the Syrian people who want peace and democracy,” the French statement said.

Macron became the first European leader to speak with al-Sharaa in February and invited him to visit France during that phone call.

Al-Sharaa, a former Islamist rebel, has received a cautious welcome by the international community after his forces toppled former strongman Bashar Assad late last year. He has vowed to protect minority groups in Syria and pursue more inclusive policies, but sectarian violence in recent months has raised fears al-Sharaa is failing to rein in Syria’s extremist factions.

Human rights groups say hundreds of people, mostly from the minority Alawite community, of which Assad was a member, were killed in sectarian violence in March.

It’s likely al-Sharaa will press Macron for support to get international sanctions on Syria lifted. In February, the EU suspended some energy, transport and banking sanctions, but many nations are wary of lifting the measures too quickly without seeing tangible progress on democratic reforms and the protection of the rights of women and minorities.

Assad ruled Syria for more than two decades after taking over from his father Hafez Assad, and his regime is accused of committing crimes against humanity during Syria’s 13-year-long civil war.