Prime Minister Starmer Hosts Syrian President Al-Sharaa in Landmark Visit
Key Takeaways
- Starmer hosted al-Sharaa in London for Downing Street talks during his first UK visit.
- King Charles III hosted al-Sharaa at Buckingham Palace during the visit.
- Discussions covered migration, border security, and bilateral cooperation.
Historic British-Syrian Rapprochement
Al-Sharaa made his first official visit to the UK since his 2024 takeover.
“Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa told British officials that Israel had withdrawn from talks on normalizing relations with his government 'at the last minute,' Israeli media reported on Tuesday”
Starmer welcomed the action taken by the Syrian government against ISIS.
The visit built on momentum from London's July 2025 restoration of diplomatic relations.
Negotiating Reopening of Hormuz
Starmer and al-Sharaa discussed the need for a viable plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
The closure has sent shockwaves through global energy markets.
Al-Sharaa said Syria will remain outside any conflict unless directly targeted.
Migration and Counter-Terrorism
Migration dominated the agenda with calls for closer work on returns of illegal migrants.
“Ahmed al-Charaa has managed to establish relations with Western governments and has undertaken several trips abroad, notably to the United States, France, and Germany”
Nearly 31,000 Syrians were granted asylum in Britain between 2011 and 2021.
Israeli media reported al-Sharaa saying efforts to normalize with Israel had been tried without success.
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