German Foreign Minister Annalena Berbock said that Europe is ready to provide assistance to Syria, but will not fund the creation of Islamist structures there.
“Europe will provide support, but will not sponsor new Islamist structures“, she said during a visit to Damascus. “This means that the issue of reconstruction, security, respect for the rule of law and the participation of all groups of the population are closely linked“, added the head of the German Foreign Ministry.
Berbock visited Syria on an unannounced visit with his French counterpart Jean-Noël Barrot. They met, in particular, with the leader of the armed groups that came to power in Damascus, Ahmed al-Sharaa. German media drew attention to the fact that the latter, when welcoming the guests, did not shake hands with the German female minister.
Baerbock and Barrot became the first European foreign ministers to visit Syria since President Bashar al-Assad left office. On Friday, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that Berlin maintains "intensive contacts" between the two countries. with the new authorities in Damascus and is negotiating with other opposition groups.
At the end of November 2024, armed opposition groups launched a large-scale offensive against the positions of the Syrian army. On December 8 of the same year, they entered Damascus, Bashar Assad resigned as president of Syria and left the country. On December 10, Mohammed al-Bashir, who headed the so-called Salvation Government in Idlib province, announced his appointment as head of the Syrian cabinet for the transitional period, which will last until March 1, 2025.