EU Leaders to Visit Syria for First Time Since War Began

The presidents of the European Council and European Commission will travel to Damascus on Friday. Antonio Costa and Ursula von der Leyen's trip marks the first visit by the EU's top leaders to Syria since the civil war started in 2011. The conflict led to the fall of President Bashar al-Assad's government from many areas. The visit is a major diplomatic event. It signals a potential shift in engagement with Assad's government, which has regained control of most Syrian territory. The EU has long condemned the Assad regime for human rights abuses during the war. The bloc has also imposed severe economic sanctions. No official agenda for the meetings has been released. The trip will likely focus on regional stability and humanitarian issues.