• Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa confirms indirect talks with Israel to ease escalating tensions.
• Recent Israeli airstrikes prompted talks aimed at preventing hostilities from spiraling out of control.
• French President Macron expresses readiness to advocate for lifting EU and U.S. sanctions on Syria.
• The discussions involve mediators but details about them remain undisclosed.
• Al-Sharaa’s European visit highlights Syria's new focus on broader international engagement.

Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa announced that his government is engaging in indirect talks with Israel through mediators, aiming to prevent escalation following a series of recent Israeli airstrikes. The Israeli attacks, which reportedly seek to protect Druze minorities in Syria, have raised concerns about potential conflicts spiraling uncontrollably. Al-Sharaa emphasized the necessity of these talks during a press conference in Paris, stating, “There are indirect talks with Israel to calm the situation” according to Al Jazeera, Middle East Eye, and Africanews.

The discussions come on the heels of significant Israeli military actions, with al-Sharaa suggesting that these operations may violate armistice agreements established in 1974. He expressed concern over “random Israeli interventions” and argued for pressing all relevant parties, including Israel, to stop disruptive activities in Syrian airspace according to Middle East Eye and Africanews.

During his visit in Europe, al-Sharaa met with French President Emmanuel Macron, who signaled a conditional willingness to advocate for lifting of sanctions imposed on Syria, contingent upon the new government's actions to stabilize the situation and protect minorities. Macron remarked on the need for the U.S. to maintain military presence in Syria, highlighting international efforts to combat terrorist threats in the region, as stated in Al Jazeera and Africanews.

Al-Sharaa's efforts to redirect international engagement towards Syria follow a tumultuous transition of power in December, when his faction ousted longtime President Bashar al-Assad. With ongoing violence and humanitarian crises persisting in the region, the need for negotiations and potential economic relief through lifted sanctions are more critical than ever, indicating a challenging path forward for the Syrian administration, according to Middle East Eye, Al Jazeera, and Africanews.