Syria's Absent President: EU Summit Invitation Controversy

The European Union did not invite Syria's interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, to a donor summit in Brussels citing the ministerial level of the meeting. However, the foreign minister will represent Syria formally for the first time at the yearly event.

The European Union took a definitive stance on Wednesday by excluding Syria's interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, from an upcoming international donor summit in Brussels. The event, scheduled for March 17, is designated for attendees of ministerial rank, according to a spokesperson for the European Commission.

In a simultaneous development, Syria is sending its foreign minister, Asaad al-Shibani, to the Brussels summit. A European official confirmed to Reuters that this marks the first official representation of Syria at the annual conference. The donor summit aims to discuss aid and reconstruction efforts for the war-torn nation.

The absence of President al-Sharaa from the summit highlights ongoing diplomatic complexities involving Syria and the European Union, emphasizing the summit's focus on ministerial dialogue over presidential engagement.

(With inputs from agencies.)