PREMIUM
Emergency personnel work as smoke and fire rise at the site where explosive devices blew up near a hotel where French President Emmanuel Macron was meant to be staying, in Damascus, Syria, in this screengrab obtained from a video, July 7, 2026.
Macron’s visit is intended to show France’s commitment to the reconstruction of a sovereign and stable Syria, fostering regional stability and diversifying supply routes between Europe and the Middle East, palace said in the statement.
"This summit will provide an opportunity to deepen Franco-Italian cooperation in several strategic sectors, notably defence, nuclear energy, and space," the French presidency said.