Syria to attend G7 summit

France is preparing to bring Syria into next month’s Group of Seven summit as a guest country, according to Reuters reporting cited by multiple outlets, with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa expected to represent Damascus in Evian. If the plan holds, it would be Syria’s first participation in a G7 summit since the forum was created in 1975. (usnews.com) The summit is scheduled for June 15-17 in Evian-les-Bains, under France’s 2026 rotating presidency. French official pages say President Emmanuel Macron is chairing the meeting in southeastern France. ### How firm is Syria’s invitation at this stage? (elysee.fr) Reuters, in a May 21 report republished by U.S. News, said three sources familiar with the matter said Syria would attend as a guest nation and that al-Sharaa would lead the delegation. Arab News, which also carried the Reuters report, said the invitation to attend the June summit had been hand-delivered to Syrian Finance Minister Mohammed Yisr Barnieh during G7 finance meetings in Paris. French official G7 pages reviewed on Friday list the summit dates and presidency priorities, but the public material surfaced in search results did not independently confirm Syria on an official guest list. (usnews.com) That leaves the invitation reported, but not yet publicly detailed by the French presidency in the official pages cited here. ### Why is Syria’s presence drawing attention? The date 1975 is central to the story. Reuters said Syria has not previously taken part in a summit of the group since the forum was founded that year, making this an unprecedented appearance for Damascus at the leaders’ gathering. (usnews.com) Arab News said Syria’s participation would likely focus on the country’s role as a “potential strategic hub for supply chains” after the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. That rationale, as reported by Reuters through Arab News, places Syria’s appearance inside a broader discussion about logistics and regional access rather than only symbolic diplomacy. (elysee.fr) ### What does France say the summit is for? France’s official G7 presidency page says Paris took over the rotating presidency for 2026 and has framed the year around economic imbalances and other global issues. The Elysee says Evian will host the summit from June 15 to 17, 23 years after the 2003 Evian G8 summit and seven years after the 2019 G7 summit in Biarritz chaired by Macron. (usnews.com) The Council of the European Union’s summit calendar also lists the next G7 summit in Evian on those dates. French Interior Ministry material says the leaders of the seven member countries will gather there while France organizes security and ministerial tracks around the meeting. (arabnews.com) ### Which other side meetings are already in focus? Narendra Modi and Donald Trump are widely expected by Indian media to meet on the margins of the summit, though no official bilateral schedule was visible in the sources reviewed. Reports in Indian outlets said a possible pull-aside would center on unresolved trade issues and could help frame a later Quad discussion. (elysee.fr) Canada-U.S. trade tensions are also hanging over the meeting. National Post reporting summarized in syndicated versions said there had been no sign of progress in easing bilateral tensions, with business leaders and politicians watching the talks closely ahead of the summit context. (consilium.europa.eu) ### What happens next before leaders arrive in Evian? June 15 is the next fixed date. The Elysee and EU Council both list June 15-17, 2026, for the Evian summit, and French government pages show ministerial work continuing in the run-up to the leaders’ meeting. (msn.com) If France publishes a formal guest list, that will be the clearest official confirmation of Syria’s role and who else will join Macron, Trump, Modi and the core G7 leaders in Evian. (elysee.fr) (nationalpost.com)