Germany’s foreign minister has warned Syria’s new leaders that lifting sanctions imposed on the country will depend on them not establishing a new Islamist government.

During her visit to Damascus on Friday, Annalena Baerbock said that “Europe will support” Syria in its transition but “will not finance new Islamist structures”.

She added: “This is not only in our own security interests but also what I have heard time and again from very many Syrians in Germany... and here in the region.”

In the highest-level diplomatic visit by major Western powers since Bashar al-Assad was overthrown, Ms Baerbock met with Ahmed al-Sharaa, Syria’s de facto ruler, alongside Jean-Noël Barrot, her French counterpart.

The pair made the case for Syria to cut ties with Russia, which helped sustain the Assad regime and still retains two bases on the country’s Mediterranean coast.