Azernews.Az

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa is set to pay an official visit to Germany on Tuesday, January 20, where he will meet with President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Chancellor Friedrich Merz, a German government spokesperson said on Friday, Azernews reports.

According to the spokesperson, talks between al-Sharaa and Merz will focus on a range of issues, including the return of Syrian refugees to their home country. The German side signaled openness to re-engagement, stating that Berlin is interested in “finding a new start with the new Syrian government,” marking a notable shift in Germany’s approach toward Damascus after years of strained relations.

The visit comes against the backdrop of an evolving debate within Germany over asylum and migration policy. Chancellor Merz has previously argued that there is no longer a justification for Syrians who fled the war to continue seeking asylum in Germany, suggesting that conditions in Syria have changed sufficiently to allow for returns.

Germany hosts one of the largest Syrian diasporas in Europe, and discussions on repatriation are politically sensitive, intersecting with domestic pressures over migration, integration, and security. Al-Sharaa’s visit is therefore seen as both a diplomatic signal and a practical step toward redefining cooperation between Berlin and Damascus, particularly on migration management and post-conflict normalization.

The high-level meetings are expected to clarify Germany’s expectations of the new Syrian leadership, while also testing whether a broader re-engagement with Syria could follow at the European level.