Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has spoken to Syria’s new leader Ahmad al-Sharaa, the first such top-level contact since the fall of former Syrian President Bashar Assad.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin held a phone call with Syria's interim leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, the Kremlin said on Wednesday, the first direct communication between the two since Sharaa's forces overthrew Moscow's ally Bashar al-Assad in December.

An international conference on Syria convened in Paris on Thursday evening, bringing together representatives from 20 countries, including G7 nations, as well as the European Union, the United Nations,

Twenty regional and Western powers agreed in a joint statement on Thursday to do their utmost to help Syria's new authorities and shield the country during its fragile transition amid ongoing instability across the Middle East.

Syria's foreign minister will attend an international conference in Paris on Thursday as regional and Western powers seek to shield the country during its fragile transition amid ongoing instability across the region.