The UK has resumed diplomatic ties with Syria in a major shift in British foreign policy.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy became the first British minister to visit Damascus in 14 years, holding talks with President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani.
The trip marks Britain’s formal re-engagement with Syria and comes eight months after Bashar Al Assad’s removal from power in December 2024 in an offensive led by Al-Sharaa’s Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) armed group.
“As the first UK minister to visit Syria since the fall of Assad’s brutal regime, I’ve seen firsthand the resilience of Syrians rebuilding their country,” Lammy said.
He also praised the “remarkable progress” Syrians have made since Assad’s ouster, calling the UK’s renewed partnership essential for regional security and stability.
As part of the trip, the UK announced a £94.5 million assistance package to support Syria’s recovery. The funds will cover humanitarian aid, education, economic development, and support for host countries sheltering Syrian refugees.
Lammy also met with Syrian civil defence volunteers (the White Helmets), which the UK has funded, and visited women-led businesses backed by British programmes. He said these efforts reflected the UK’s commitment to a “stable, more secure, and prosperous future for all Syrians.”
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In April, the British government lifted sanctions against a dozen Syrian entities, including government departments and media outlets, to help the country rebuild after al-Assad’s fall.
Weeks earlier, the UK had dropped sanctions against two dozen Syrian businesses, mostly banks and oil companies.
“The fall of Assad presents an opportunity for the new Syrian government to fully declare and destroy Assad’s evil chemical weapons program,” Lammy said.
He reiterated that a stable Syria would help reduce irregular migration to Europe, eliminate chemical weapons stockpiles, and cut off terror threats. “This re-engagement will help deliver our Government’s Plan for Change,” he added.
In a separate video message released from Syria, Lammy said: “It matters that it’s stable, because if it’s not, the terrorism that can happen here washes up on our own streets back at home.”
He added that many in the UK had been moved to tears by Syrians celebrating the end of Assad’s rule and their hopes for a new chapter.
Syria’s new leaders have been struggling to rebuild the country’s decimated economy and infrastructure after nearly 14 years of civil war that killed half a million people.
“This is a country that is ancient, made up of many different people. The future has to be an inclusive one. It has to be a peaceful one. And I hope for prosperity for all of the Syrian people,” Lammy concluded.
The visit was part of a broader regional tour that also included Lebanon. While in Beirut, Lammy held talks with President General Joseph Aoun and stressed the importance of fully implementing the ceasefire with Israel and deploying the Lebanese Armed Forces across the south.
Meanwhile, on Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order to dismantle a web of sanctions against Syria that had crippled the country’s economy under Al-Assad.
In a statement posted on X, al-Shaibani – the Syrian foreign minister – welcomed Trump’s decision, saying it would “open the door of long-awaited reconstruction and development.”
“It will lift the obstacle against economic recovery and open the country to the international community,” he said.
