Syria's Sharaa to attend G7

Syria will attend next month’s G7 summit in France as a guest nation and will be represented by President Ahmed al-Sharaa, three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters on May 21. The appearance would be Syria’s first at a summit of the group since the forum was founded in 1975, according to the sources. (msn.com) France is due to host the June 15-17 meeting in Evian-les-Bains under its 2026 G7 presidency. Ahmed al-Sharaa’s expected presence would place Syria at a table normally reserved for the G7’s seven members — Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Britain and the United States — along with the European Union and invited guests. (elysee.fr) (msn.com) France’s foreign ministry says the 2026 presidency is being led by Paris, and the Elysee says the leaders’ summit will take place in Evian from June 15 to 17. ### How was the invitation delivered? Yisr Barnieh, Syria’s finance minister, received the invitation by hand during G7 financial talks in Paris earlier this week, one of the sources, a Syrian official, told Reuters. Reuters reported that the invitation was for Sharaa to attend the Evian summit as Syria’s representative. (msn.com) Paris has not publicly detailed the full guest list in the material reviewed, but official French pages say invited heads of state and government will join the core summit format. Switzerland’s foreign ministry, which is preparing for the meeting because of Evian’s location near the Swiss border, also says other invited leaders will attend. (diplomatie.gouv.fr) ### Why is Syria’s attendance unusual? The G7 was founded in 1975, and the sources told Reuters this would be Syria’s first participation in a summit of the group. Reuters said the invitation follows years in which Syria was largely isolated diplomatically. (newarab.com) May 21 Reuters reporting described the move as coming after years of Syrian isolation and at a moment when the summit is expected to project unity on Russia. Reuters said Sharaa’s appearance could complicate that message, citing the contrast between a hard line on Moscow and a high-profile invitation to Damascus. (eda.admin.ch) ### What is Syria expected to talk about at the summit? One Syrian official told Reuters that 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. Reuters attributed that characterization to the Syrian official, not to France or the G7. (usnews.com) The same Reuters report said Syria would attend as a guest nation rather than as a member. France Diplomatie says the G7 remains a group of seven industrialized countries, with the European Union represented by the presidents of the European Council and European Commission. (msn.com) ### Where does this fit in the June meeting? Evian-les-Bains will host the summit from June 15 to 17, according to the Elysee and Swiss authorities. Official French materials published during the presidency show Paris has already used the G7 platform this year for meetings on trade, environment and digital policy before the leaders gather in June. (newarab.com) France’s presidency page says the leaders’ meeting is the capstone of the 2026 cycle. If Sharaa attends as planned, Syria would appear alongside invited guests at the Evian summit in mid-June, with Emmanuel Macron chairing the meeting as host. (elysee.fr) (msn.com)