Syria invited to G7 summit

Syria is set to attend the G7 summit in France next month as a guest country, according to Reuters and other outlets citing people familiar with the matter. President Ahmad al-Sharaa is expected to represent Damascus at the June 15-17 meeting in Évian-les-Bains, the first time Syria has taken part in a summit of the group since the forum was founded in 1975. (usnews.com) France is hosting the 2026 summit under its current G7 presidency. Reuters said three sources familiar with the matter confirmed the invitation. (thestar.com.my) ### How was Syria invited? Reuters reported on May 21 that an invitation to Sharaa was hand-delivered to Syrian Finance Minister Yisr Barnieh during G7 finance talks in Paris earlier this week. (elysee.fr) One source identified by Reuters as a Syrian official said Barnieh received the invitation there. Separate Reuters pickups published by other outlets carried the same account. Paris had already opened the door to Syrian participation at the ministerial level. An AOL report said Syria took part in a closed-door session with G7 finance ministers and central bank governors in Paris on Monday, describing the meeting as another sign of Damascus’ growing diplomatic access. (usnews.com) ### Who is expected to go for Syria? President Ahmad al-Sharaa is expected to attend the summit on Syria’s behalf, Reuters reported, citing three sources familiar with the matter. Radio Free Syria also reported that Damascus would be represented by Sharaa at the summit in Évian-les-Bains. (thestar.com.my) The invitation would put Sharaa alongside the leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Britain, the United States and the European Union at a summit chaired by French President Emmanuel Macron. The Élysée says the leaders’ meeting will take place from June 15 to June 17 in Évian, 23 years after the city hosted the 2003 G8 summit. (aol.com) ### What is Syria expected to argue in the room? One Syrian official cited by Reuters said Syria’s participation would likely focus on its role as a “potential strategic hub for supply chains” after the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Reuters pickups published by several outlets used the same wording. (usnews.com) That account has also circulated in regional coverage. Radio Free Syria said Syrian officials were preparing to present the country as a logistics and reconstruction platform, though that characterization was not independently detailed by French organizers in the official summit pages reviewed. (elysee.fr) ### Is Syria becoming a G7 member? The G7 remains the seven-member grouping of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States, together with the European Union in summit proceedings. Syria’s role is that of an invited guest country for the 2026 summit in France, not a member of the bloc. (thestar.com.my) Official summit pages from the Élysée and the European Council list the June dates and host arrangements but do not describe any expansion of G7 membership. Reuters described the invitation as Syria’s first participation in a summit of the group since the forum’s founding in 1975. That makes the appearance notable in procedural terms even though it does not alter the G7’s membership structure. (radiofreesyria.com) ### What happens next in Évian? The Élysée says the leaders’ summit will be held in Évian-les-Bains from June 15 to June 17, 2026, with Macron presiding as host. France’s Interior Ministry and other official French pages have published logistical and security preparations for the event. If Sharaa attends as expected, Syria’s participation will move from the finance-track meetings in Paris to the leaders’ summit in Évian next month. (elysee.fr) Reuters said the invitation had already been delivered, and the next public test will be the final guest list and arrivals for the June 15 opening. (thestar.com.my) (usnews.com)