Julani in a suit: How France turned a pariah into a partner
The Cradle Contributor | Syria's interim President Ahmad Sharaa’s rise is less a redemption arc than a calculated western project – with France seeking to outmaneuver Russia and reclaim its colonial stake in Syria | Just a week before his landmark meeting with US President Donald Trump in Riyadh – the first encounter between American and Syrian leaders in 25 years – Syria's self-appointed transitional president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, arrived in Paris. ■ Sharaa's visit to the French capital, his first to a western nation since assuming power, was meticulously orchestrated. France extended a cautious welcome, limiting reception protocols and refraining from high-level state honors, signaling its intent to assert influence over the Syrian file without fully legitimizing a leader still listed on international terrorism watchlists. ■ The visit, which required a UN-sanctioned waiver of travel bans for Sharaa and his delegation, culminated in a carefully managed meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace. Macron’s press conference afterward struck a sharp tone, insisting that meaningful changes in the Syrian file remain a prerequisite for international engagement. ■ France’s calculated hospitality reinforced its ambitions to reclaim influence in Syria. For Sharaa, the trip was a strategic move to project international legitimacy and bury the hardline legacy of his past, including leadership ties to both Al-Qaeda and ISIS.