India, Jan. 10 -- Top officials from the European Union visited Syria for the first time Friday and met with Syrian interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, in another sign of the country's improving relations with the West. The visit by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the President of the European Council Antonio Costa was part of a regional tour.

Both European leaders made statements of support for Syria, as it struggles to recover after nearly 14 years of civil war that ended in December 2024 with the ouster of former President Bashar Assad in a lightning rebel offensive led by al-Sharaa, then the leader of an Islamist rebel group. "After decades of fear and silence, Syrians began a long journey toward hope and renewa...