How world leaders and countries are reacting to Assad being toppled in Syria

World leaders are warning the downfall of Syria’s dictator Bashar Assad leaves the country’s future uncertain, as most of them celebrate his toppling.

Assad had, for more than a decade, faced a loose coalition of rebel groups, including the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces. But it was Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, an Islamist group that traces its roots to Al Qaeda, that stormed from city to city in days, prompting Assad to flee to Russia, which had helped keep him in power.

Questions remain about what sort of government may form under Hayat Tahrir al-Sham’s leader, Abu Mohammad al-Jolani. Though he has broken ties with Al Qaeda and is projecting messages of religious tolerance, the US designates him a terrorist and has a $10 million bounty on his head.

Here’s how the world’s been reacting to Assad’s fall.

US: President Joe Biden

“At long last, the Assad regime has fallen,” Biden said on Sunday during a press briefing in the Roosevelt Room.

Biden called the Assad government’s expulsion a “fundamental act of justice” and a “moment of opportunity for the long-suffering people of Syria to build a better future for their proud country.”

“It’s also a moment of risk and uncertainty,” the president added. “As we all turn to the question of what comes next.”

The US has been conducting airstrikes against ISIS targets in Syria, Biden said.

US: President-Elect Donald Trump

Trump, who is to succeed Biden on January 20, referenced the war in Ukraine as a key reason for Russia’s waning military support for Assad.

“Assad is gone. He has fled his country. His protector, Russia, Russia, Russia, led by Vladimir Putin, was not interested in protecting him any longer,” he wrote on Truth Social on Sunday.

In a post on Saturday, Trump wrote that the US should avoid any involvement in Syria.

“THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT. LET IT PLAY OUT. DO NOT GET INVOLVED!” he wrote.

EU: European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen

In a statement on Sunday, Von der Leyen wrote that Europe hoped to support Damascus in “rebuilding a Syrian state that protects all minorities.”

“This historic change in the region offers opportunities but is not without risks,” Von der Leyen wrote.

The majority of the nation’s population is Sunni Muslim, but among them are Alawites, Christians, Shiite Muslims, Druze, and other ethnicities and religious movements.

UK: Prime Minister Keir Starmer

Starmer cautioned on Sunday that Syria’s new political situation is still in its “early days,” but said Assad’s fall was a “very good thing for the Syrian people.”

“The Syrian people have suffered under Assad’s barbaric regime for too long and we welcome his departure,” Starmer said. “Our focus is now on ensuring a political solution prevails, and peace and stability is restored.”

Starmer called for a “rejection of terrorism and violence” and for civilians to be protected.

Israel: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

On Sunday, Israel’s Netanyahu lauded the end of Assad’s rule, while saying that the moment was “fraught with significant dangers.”

In a video statement on X, he said it was “a historic day for the Middle East” and claimed the events were a “direct result” of Israel’s military campaign against Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon, which he described as having been Assad’s primary backers.

But Netanyahu also said that he had ordered Israeli forces to take over positions at the Golan Heights, a buffer zone at Syria’s border with Israel, “to ensure that no hostile force embeds itself” there. He described it as a “temporary defensive position.”

On Monday, Israel’s foreign minister, Gideon Saar, said that Israel had struck Syrian weapons systems to stop them from falling into the hands of extremists.

Germany: Chancellor Olaf Scholz

Scholz posted identical statements on Sunday in German, Arabic, and English.

“Today, we stand with all Syrians who are full of hope for a free, just, and safe Syria,” the chancellor said.

“A political solution to the conflict in Syria is possible. With international partners and on the basis of the resolutions of the UN Security Council, Germany will make its contribution,” he added.

A few hours earlier, Scholz said that the end of Assad’s rule was “good news.” He also urged that civilians and minorities be protected.

France: President Emmanuel Macron

“The barbaric state has fallen. At last,” Macron said in identical statements in Arabic, French, and English.

He called the current situation a “moment of uncertainty” and said he wished Syrians “peace, freedom, and unity.”

“France will remain committed to the security of all in the Middle East,” Macron added.

Canada: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

Trudeau also celebrated Assad’s fall as the end of decades of dictatorship in Syria, and said Canada was “monitoring this transition closely.”

“A new chapter for Syria can begin here — one free of terrorism and suffering for the Syrian people,” he said.

China: Foreign Ministry

The Chinese foreign ministry’s initial response focused on the status of its citizens in Syria.

A ministry spokesperson said on Sunday that China’s embassy in Syria was still operational and was assisting Chinese nationals in the country.

“We urge relevant parties in Syria to ensure the safety and security of the Chinese institutions and personnel in Syria,” they added.

On Monday, a spokesperson for the foreign ministry, Mao Ning, said Beijing was “closely watching developments.”

“We hope all relevant parties will proceed on the basis of the Syrian people’s fundamental interests and find a political resolution as soon as possible to restore stability in the country,” she said.

Iran: Foreign Ministry

Iran, which backed Assad for over a decade, indicated that it hopes to continue to establish a presence in the region.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran, emphasizing Syria’s role as an important and influential country in West Asia, will spare no effort to help establish security and stability in Syria,” its foreign ministry said in a statement.

Despite its past support for Assad, it added 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.”

Turkey: Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan

Fidan said Assad’s fall paves the way for millions of Syrian refugees in neighboring Turkey to potentially return home.

“As of this morning, the Syrian people have started a new day in which they will determine the future of their country,” Fidan said in a statement.

Turkey is home to some 3.6 million Syrian refugees, and Ankara has been actively supporting some rebel forces in the north with troops, drone strikes, and artillery.

Fidan added that Turkey would “assume responsibility for whatever needs to be done to heal Syria’s wounds and ensure its unity, integrity, and security.”

Russia: Foreign Ministry

In a statement on Sunday, Russia’s foreign ministry said it was monitoring Syria “with extreme concern.”

The ministry said Assad had resigned after discussing with “a number of participants” in the civil war, and that Moscow was not involved in the negotiations.

“However, we call on all the parties involved to renounce the use of violence and resolve all governance issues through political efforts,” it said.

“In this regard, the Russian Federation maintains contact with all Syrian opposition groups,” the ministry added.

Russia has said for years that it’s supported Assad to protect Syria’s legitimacy and to fight terrorism.

It fields two major military bases in Syria, the Hmeimim Air Base and the Tartus Naval Base, which provide Russia with access to Africa and the Mediterranean.

“Russian military bases in Syria are on high alert. There is no serious threat to their security at the moment,” the foreign ministry said.