The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, will begin on Thursday a tour of the Middle East that includes Syria, Jordan, and Lebanon, in a move that reflects the European Union’s growing engagement in issues of stability and reconstruction in the region.

European Commission Chief Spokesperson Paula Pinho stated that von der Leyen is participating today in Paris in the “Coalition of the Willing” meeting, before heading to Nicosia on Wednesday, after which she will embark on her Middle East tour.

The Syrian stop is considered the most prominent in this tour, as it marks von der Leyen’s first visit to Damascus since the fall of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December 2024. It also comes after the European Union’s decision to lift the economic sanctions imposed during the Assad era last May.

Discussions in Damascus are expected to focus on the European Union’s role in supporting Syria’s reconstruction, amid European affirmations of the importance of combining funding with institutional capacity building.