Emmanuel Macron

Emmanuel Macron, President of France, visited the Umayyad Mosque during his trip to Damascus alongside Ahmad al-Shara, President of Syria, and signed the guest memorial book of this historic and religious structure. Al Arabiya Television released video footage of the ceremony on Tuesday, July 7. The French President wrote in his note that the Syrian people have reborn their country, and France stands by their side. Macron's visit to Damascus marks the first presence of a Western European leader in Syria since the fall of Bashar al-Assad's government. Paris had severed diplomatic relations with Syria's former regime in 2011 following the crackdown on "Arab Spring" protests.