All Syrian groups, including women and Kurds, must be involved in the country's transition if Damascus wants European support, Germany's foreign minister said after a closely-watched first meeting with the new de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa on Friday.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has arrived in Syria for a surprise visit, some four weeks after the overthrow of long-time ruler Bashar al-Assad. The Green Party politician landed on Friday morning at the airport in the capital Damascus in a German military A400M propeller transport aircraft.

Annalena Baerbock says Middle Eastern country must not ‘Islamise justice or education systems’ during diplomatic visit to Damascus

The visit by European ministers symbolizes a significant shift in international diplomacy following years of strained relations between Europe and Syria.

France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot and his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock arrived in Damascus on Friday for the first high-level visit by Western powers to the new Syrian administration that overthrew president Bashar al-Assad last month.

The French and German foreign ministers are the most senior Western officials to visit Syria since longtime dictator Bashar al-Assad was toppled by rebels.

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Germany and France said on Friday that the fighting in the Kurdish-held areas in northern Syria should end and the security interests of Kurds should be protected, following a visit of foreign ministers of both Western countries to Damascus.

Germany is ready to help Syria’s new rulers establish a unified security force that includes Kurdish-led forces, Berlin’s envoy to Damascus said.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock is travelling to Syria for a one-day trip with her French counterpart on behalf of the EU, where she will meet with the leader of Syria's new rulers, Ahmed al-Sharaa,

Syria's new foreign minister met with his Qatari counterpart and Qatar's prime minister in Doha on Sunday, as Syria's new de facto authorities under Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, establish diplomatic ties with regional and global governments.

The foreign ministers of France and Germany have met the leader of Syria's new administration Ahmed al Sharaa, in the capital Damascus.