ISTANBUL

European Council President Antnio Costa and Commission Chief Ursula von der Leyen are set to begin a first-of-its-kind official visit to the Syrian capital, Damascus, on Friday, according to Syrian media.

The two European leaders will lead a high-level delegation, the first by senior European officials to Damascus since the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime in late 2024, Alikhbariya TV reported.

On Monday, the European Council said in a statement that Costa and von der Leyen will travel to Damascus on Jan. 9 to meet Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa.

The Damascus stop comes as part of a broader Middle East tour that also includes Jordan and Lebanon, the statement said.

The two leaders are scheduled to attend the first EU–Jordan summit in Amman on Thursday before heading to Damascus and Beirut the following day.

The visit follows growing EU engagement with Syria’s new leadership. In June 2025, EU Mediterranean Commissioner Dubravka Suica visited Syria and said the bloc wanted to see the country become stable and prosperous under its new authorities.

In May 2025, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas announced the lifting of economic sanctions imposed on Damascus under the former regime.

The upcoming visit is part of EU efforts to support Syria’s transitional phase, promote stability and reconstruction, and back a Syrian-led political process while preserving the country’s unity and sovereignty.