DAMASCUS, Jan 9, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Syria's President Ahmed al-Sharaa met with European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen on Friday, state media said, as she became the highest ranking EU official to visit since longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad was ousted.

Von der Leyen is conducting a regional tour alongside Antonio Costa, who heads the European Council. Their visit follows days of deadly clashes between government forces and Kurdish fighters in the north Syrian city of Aleppo.

"We will continue working together in support of a peaceful and inclusive Syrian-led and Syrian-owned transition," said a joint EU-Jordan statement issued on the eve of the EU leaders' arrival in Damascus.

Syria is struggling to forge a new path after years of war sparked by a brutal crackdown on pro-democracy protests in 2011.

Sharaa has come under pressure to protect Syria's many minority communities, including the Kurds.

Several EU officials have visited Syria since Assad's ouster by Sharaa's forces in December 2024. In March, the EU pledged nearly 2.5 billion euros in aid for Syria for 2025 and 2026.