Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa condemned Israel's presence in southern Syria in a statement on Friday while at a summit in France with the Lebanese president, Cypriot president, and Greek prime minister.
Al-Sharaa emphasized the need to "condemn ongoing Israeli aggression on Syrian territory" and reiterated that Syria is against the "Israeli attacks" and that Syria rejects the Israeli "violations."
Al-Sharaa also stated in the summit that Syria "will continue to defend its legitimate rights, and that Arab and international support is not only important - but essential."
Al-Sharaa announced in the statement that France invited him and the other countries' leaders to join the summit in the French city of Nimes.
The summit, according to the statement, included an in-depth discussion about regional and international issues. They also spoke about border security as well as reviewing the "growing risks stemming from terrorist organizations, human trafficking networks, and smuggling routes" in their countries.
قمة رئاسية بمبادرة فرنسية تجمع الرئيس السوري مع نظرائه الفرنسي واللبناني والقبرصي ورئيس وزراء اليونان#رئاسة_الجمهورية_العربية_السورية pic.twitter.com/aZSkq3zNSS
— رئاسة الجمهورية العربية السورية (@G_CSyria) March 28, 2025
Lifting economic sanctions against Syria
Additionally, they spoke about lifting economic sanctions on Syria that were imposed by Western countries, saying that the impact on the Syrian economy has been severe.
French President Emmanuel Macron, according to the statement, "stressed the need for a new approach to lifting sanctions" to help Syria with its political progress and expressed "his willingness to discuss some mechanism through which certain economic restrictions could be eased in support of regional stability."
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Cypriot and Greek leadership agreed.