Syrian president meets King Charles during UK visit

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa met Britain’s King Charles at Buckingham Palace in London on Tuesday, the Syrian presidency said.

Al-Sharaa and the king discussed ways to strengthen cooperation between their countries “in a manner that serves their mutual interests,” the presidency said, releasing an image of the two leaders shaking hands.

The king also “expressed his support for Syria and the Syrian people in their efforts to rebuild their country,” it added.

Al-Sharaa’s visit marks his first trip to Britain since ousting longtime president Bashar al-Assad in 2024. During the visit, he also held talks with Prime Minister Keir Starmer at Downing Street.

Al-Sharaa discussed the US-Israel war with Iran in talks with Starmer at Downing Street.

The leaders “discussed the need for a viable plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, in the face of the severe economic impact of prolonged closure, and agreed to work with others to restore freedom of navigation,” a Downing Street spokesperson said.

Starmer said he welcomed the Syrian government’s action against ISIS and noted progress on counter-terrorism, the spokesperson said.

The British prime minister urged “closer work together on returns (of illegal migrants), on border security, and on tackling people smuggling networks.”

Between 2011 and 2021, nearly 31,000 Syrians were granted asylum in Britain following the country’s civil war, according to official data.

The president’s visit follows Britain’s decision to resume diplomatic relations with Syria in July 2025, after then-foreign minister David Lammy traveled to Damascus – the first such visit by a British minister in 14 years.

The British government said at the time that its engagement with Damascus was aimed at supporting the country’s political transition and assisting economic recovery as well as reducing illegal migration, and addressing the issue of chemical weapons.

Ahead of his UK trip, al-Sharaa met German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin on Monday as part of efforts to shield Syria from the fallout of the wider Middle East war.

Germany hosts the largest Syrian diaspora in the European Union, with more than one million Syrians, many of whom arrived during the 2015-2016 migration crisis.

Merz, who has prioritized tougher immigration policies since taking office last year, said he and al-Sharaa had agreed that “eight out of 10” Syrians in Germany should return over the next three years.