By Timour Azhari DAMASCUS (Reuters) -Syrian Finance Minister Mohammed Abazeed discussed his country's financial position and potential sanctions relief in his first meeting with European Union officials on Wednesday since Islamist rebels ousted the Assad regime last year.

By bnm Gulf bureau Russian forces have begun withdrawing from Syria, with two cargo vessels, the Sparta II and Sparta, departing from the port of Tartus on January 30, carrying significant military equipment.

Damascus: The Amir HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani arrived in the capital Damascus today on an official visit to the sisterly Syrian Arab

There has been growing engagement between Qatar and Syria since the fall of the Assad regime, with high-level visits taking place between both countries. Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim bin

Syrian Finance Minister Mohammed Abazeed met with Germany’s temporary representative in Syria Bjorn Gehrmann on Wednesday, in the first such meeting of a European Union official since Islamist rebels seized power from the Assad regime last year.

Vice President JD Vance announced he will return to Damascus, Virginia, on Monday. The Vice President posted on X, “Tomorrow, I’ll return to Damascus, VA, to check on their cleanup from Hurricane Helene and we’ll continue to do so until they’ve fully recovered.

Vice President JD Vance will return to Washington County on Monday to review progress in the town of Damascus after the devastating September flooding from the remnants of Tropical Storm Helene. "The American people should expect more of their government," Vance said in an interview broadcast Sunday on the CBS program "Face the Nation."

Vice President JD Vance and Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin spoke with reporters after a roundtable on Helene recovery on Monday afternoon.

Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud will visit Damascus on Friday and meet with top officials in the new Syrian administration, a Syrian official said on Thursday.

Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani became the first head of state to visit Damascus since the ousting of Bashar Assad, arriving in

Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani’s visit will be the first by an Arab leader to Damascus since fall of Bashar al-Assad.