Syria’s interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa is visiting Paris on Wednesday for talks with President Emmanuel Macron. It's his first trip to Europe since taking office in January, and a possible opening to broader ties with Western countries.

Syria's new interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa met French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysée Palace in Paris on Wednesday during first trip to Europe since coming to power in December. Macron urged Sharaa to protect all Syrians "without exception" after recent attacks against minority groups in Syria.

Sharaa, the former jihadist whose forces overthrew the dictatorship of Bashar al-Assad last December, met on Wednesday with French President Emmanuel Macron. It was his first trip to Europe.