Syria to attend G7 summit

Syria is set to appear at a G7 leaders’ summit for the first time next month, with President Ahmed al-Sharaa expected to represent Damascus at the June 15-17 meeting in Evian, France, according to Reuters and Syrian outlet Levant24. Three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters that Syria had been invited as a guest nation. The meeting would mark Syria’s first participation in a summit of the Group of Seven since the forum was founded in 1975. The European Council says the next G7 summit will take place in Evian from June 15 to June 17. ### How unusual is a Syrian appearance at a G7 summit? The Reuters report said Syria has never before taken part in a G7 summit. That makes the planned Evian appearance notable on its face, regardless of what is discussed there. The guest format matters. Reuters reported that Syria would attend as a guest nation rather than as a member, putting it in the category of outside participants invited by the host government rather than part of the group’s core seven economies. ### Who is expected to represent Damascus? Ahmed al-Sharaa is expected to lead the Syrian delegation, according to Reuters reporting cited by Levant24. Reuters said the invitation was tied to the summit in France next month and was based on information from three sources familiar with the matter. Ahmed al-Sharaa has already been received by European leaders in recent months. The European Council said its president, António Costa, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen met Sharaa in Damascus on January 9, 2026. ### Why now? Paris has already hosted Syrian participation at G7-linked meetings this month. Reuters reported separately that Syria joined G7 finance sessions in Paris, a step that suggested broader diplomatic contact with Western governments. France has also been one of the European capitals engaging directly with Syria’s new leadership. Levant24 reported in May 2025 that Sharaa visited Paris for an official trip and met President Emmanuel Macron, describing it as his first official visit to a European country since the fall of the Assad regime. ### Does the invitation mean sanctions are gone? European sanctions policy remains only partly changed. The Council of the European Union said on May 18 that it renewed sanctions targeting individuals and entities linked to the former al-Assad regime until June 1, 2027, while describing the situation in Syria as fragile. That means diplomatic re-engagement and sanctions policy are moving on separate tracks. Publicly available European documents show contact with Syria’s current authorities has increased, even as restrictions tied to figures and structures of the former regime remain in place. ### What could Syria want from the meeting? Economic access is likely to be central. Reuters said Syria’s attendance follows its participation at G7 finance meetings in Paris, a sequence that points to economic issues as part of the diplomatic opening. Reconstruction funding is one of the questions hanging over any renewed contact. Reuters, as cited by Levant24, said analysts saw two possibilities: that re-engagement could help open channels for reconstruction finance, or that the move could remain largely symbolic while policy details are still unsettled. ### What happens next? The next formal milestone is the summit itself. The European Council says G7 leaders will gather in Evian, France, from June 15 to June 17, where Syria is expected to appear as a guest delegation. Reuters reported that al-Sharaa is expected to represent Syria at that meeting. Whether Damascus secures bilateral talks, economic commitments or only a seat in the room is likely to become clearer once the Evian agenda and guest list are finalized.