Syria's Foreign Minister to Attend Paris Conference Amid Fragile Transition

Syria’s Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani will visit Paris on Thursday for an international conference focused on stabilizing Syria during its delicate transition. This marks the first high-level trip by a Syrian delegation to the EU since the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad. The meeting follows French President Emmanuel Macron’s invitation to Syria’s UN-sanctioned President Ahmed al-Sharaa.

A French official described the conference as a move to create a "protective bubble" around Syria, discouraging destabilizing forces. Key participants include regional ministers from Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Lebanon, alongside Western allies. The United States will have only a low-level diplomatic presence.

The event aims to ensure Syria’s sovereignty and security while mobilizing international aid and economic support. Topics on the agenda include transitional justice, impunity, and potential sanctions relief. While the EU has taken steps to lift some sanctions, Cyprus and Greece continue to block progress due to concerns over Syria-Turkey maritime talks.

Ahead of the meeting, major donors will assess the worsening humanitarian crisis in northeastern Syria, where U.S. aid cuts have had severe consequences. The role of Western-backed Kurdish Syrian forces will also be discussed, given Turkey’s opposition to groups it considers terrorist organizations. Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Nuh Yilmaz will reiterate Turkey’s stance on eliminating threats from separatist groups.

The Paris conference will not focus on fundraising, as that will be addressed at a separate event in Brussels in March. However, diplomatic negotiations on economic recovery and regional stability are expected to take center stage. Officials remain hopeful that a compromise on sanctions can be reached soon.