Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa met with European Council President Antonio Costa in Cairo on Tuesday, though details of their discussions were not disclosed, according to Syria's state news agency SANA.
Costa said he heard from Sharaa about the ongoing political process and the challenges that Syria faces.
"The EU is fully engaged in supporting the democratic, peaceful and inclusive transition in Syria,” he said on his X account.
The European official said the EU attaches great importance to Syria’s territorial integrity.
"Syria has a historic opportunity to reunite and rebuild the country under an inclusive and Syrian-led political process,” he said. "I look forward to our annual Brussels Conference for Syria on 17 March with the participation of the new authorities.”
Tuesday’s meeting was also attended by Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani.
Al-Sharaa arrived in Cairo early Tuesday upon an invitation from Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi to attend an emergency Arab summit in the Gaza Strip.
This marked the first official visit by Sharaa to Egypt since he came to office on Jan. 29 following the overthrow of the Bashar al-Assad regime.
The Arab summit is set to open later Tuesday to seek to formulate a unified Arab stance on the Palestinian issue and present an Arab counterproposal to U.S. plans for the displacement of Gaza's population.
U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly called to "take over” Gaza and resettle its population to develop it into a tourist destination. His plan was rejected by the Arab world and many other nations, who say it amounts to ethnic cleansing.
Nearly 48,400 Palestinians have been killed, mostly women and children, and over 111,000 others injured in a brutal Israeli war on Gaza since October 2023. The onslaught, which left the enclave in ruins, was paused under a cease-fire and prisoner-exchange agreement that took hold on Jan. 19.
