Global leaders reacted to the toppling of President Bashar al-Assad of Syria with cautious optimism and support for the Syrian people on Sunday.
They expressed hope that the country that has been roiled by more than a decade of civil war could unite in peace, even as fundamental questions remain about the country’s governance, including how the main rebel coalition would balance the competing interests of other forces that hold territory in Syria.
Here are the reactions from leaders and governments around the world as rebel forces claimed to have overthrown Mr. al-Assad, whom the Russian Foreign Ministry said had resigned and left the country.
United Nations: “Today marks a watershed moment in Syria’s history,” the U.N. special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, said in a statement. He added that this “dark chapter” in the nation’s history had left deep scars, “but today we look forward with cautious hope to the opening of a new one — one of peace, reconciliation, dignity, and inclusion for all Syrians.”
Mr. Pedersen spoke of the grief that people have endured as their families have been displaced, killed and detained. And he urged “all Syrians to prioritize dialogue, unity, and respect for international humanitarian law and human rights as they seek to rebuild their society.”
United States: Daniel Shapiro, the U.S. deputy assistant secretary of defense for the Middle East, said “no one should shed any tears over the end of the Assad regime.” He said the United States would maintain a presence in eastern Syria “to ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS” and will take all necessary measures to defend its forces in the area.
President-elect Donald J. Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social that “Assad is gone. He has fled his country.” He added that Russia, which he called Mr. al-Assad’s “protector,” had lost interest because of its focus on Ukraine.
Turkey: “Syria has reached a stage where the Syrian people will shape the future of their own country,” Hakan Fidan, the foreign minister, said in a speech in Qatar. “Today, there is hope.” He spoke about the importance of stability, unity and sovereignty in Syria, as well as the well-being of the Syrian people, noting that would allow millions of Syrians to return home. Turkey hosts more than three million Syrian refugees.
France: President Emmanuel Macron wrote in a post on X that “the barbaric state has fallen.” He praised the courage and patience of the Syrian people. “In this moment of uncertainty, I send them my wishes for peace, freedom, and unity,” he said. “France will remain committed to the security of all in the Middle East.”
European Union: Kaja Kallas, the bloc’s top diplomat, wrote in a post on X that the end of Mr. al-Assad’s “dictatorship is a positive and long-awaited development.” He added, “It also shows the weakness of Assad’s backers, Russia and Iran.”
Iran: Although the country has long been among Mr. al-Assad’s staunchest supporters, its foreign ministry wrote in a post on X that “determining Syria’s future and making decisions about its destiny are solely the responsibility of the Syrian people, without any destructive interference or external imposition.”
Israel: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel’s war against Hezbollah had caused a “chain reaction” that helped precipitate the collapse of Mr. al-Assad’s government. “The Assad regime, a key cell in Iran’s axis, has fallen. This the direct result of the blows we dealt Iran and Hezbollah,” he said.
Saudi Arabia: The foreign ministry said in a statement that Saudi Arabia has expressed its “satisfaction with the positive steps” in Syria. Following the fall of the Assad government, the kingdom also called for “concerted efforts to preserve the unity of Syria and the cohesion of its people.” Saudi Arabia played a key role in bringing Mr. al-Assad back into the fold of Arab leaders last year after more than a decade of global isolation.
Ukraine: Andrii Sybiha, the foreign minister, wrote in a post on X that Mr. al-Assad’s fall was the inevitable result of his bet on President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia. “He always betrays those who rely on him,” Mr. Sybiha wrote.
Afghanistan: The Taliban’s foreign ministry congratulated some of the rebels’ leaders in a statement posted to X and also congratulated “the people of Syria,” saying the factor contributing to conflict and instability had been removed. It expressed hope that “the remaining phases of the revolution” would secure “a peaceful, unified and stable system.”
United Arab Emirates: Anwar Gargash, a diplomatic adviser to President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, said that Mr. al-Assad “failed to use the lifelines thrown to him by various Arab countries.” Speaking to an audience of policymakers and reporters in Manama, the capital of Bahrain, Mr. Gargash said, “Ultimately there was this huge political failure, and we have seen this sort of rapid collapse of the regime, in part, because of the political failure.”
Jordan: King Abdullah II said in a statement that Jordan stands with the Syrian people and respects their will and choices. He stressed the need to maintain security and stability and avoid chaos — and spoke of the large number of Syrians who have moved to Jordan since the crisis began.
Qatar: The foreign ministry said it would be necessary to preserve “national institutions and the unity of the state to prevent it from descending into chaos” in a post on X. It called for dialogue to protect civilian life and “ensure a better future” for Syrians.
Germany: Chancellor Olaf Scholz described the fall of Mr. al-Assad’s government as “good news” in a post on X, and called for the restoration of law and order, as well as the protection of religious and minority communities.
Annalena Baerbock, the foreign minister, said Syrians could breathe a sign of relief after “an eternity of atrocities committed by the Assad regime,” according to a post on X that was translated by Reuters. Mr. al-Assad, she wrote, “must finally be held accountable” for killing and torturing his own people.
Egypt: The foreign ministry called on all parties to start a “comprehensive political process” to establish peace. It emphasized its support for Syria’s “sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity,” underscoring Egyptian concerns that the country would fragment in the chaos surrounding the fall of the government.
The statement said Egypt would work with regional and international partners to “end the prolonged suffering of the Syrian people,” stabilize and rebuild the country and help Syrian refugees return home.
The post Nations and Leaders React to Toppling of Syria Regime appeared first on New York Times.
