After controversial statements
“Damascus is completely bombed”: Wadephul’s comments on Syria
November 20, 2025 – 08:48Reading time: 2 minutes
With his statements on Syria, Foreign Minister Wadephul alienated some of his faction. Now he defends his statement.
Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul stood by his assessment of the situation in civil war-torn Syria, even after criticism from within the European Union. His statement that returning to the devastated places of Damascus is only possible in the short term, “is at least what can be said at the moment and I stand by that statement because it is my sober analysis,” the CDU politician said at the “Süddeutsche Zeitung” economic summit. “That’s my assessment there and anyone who sees it differently has to argue and also state the facts. But unfortunately that’s what happened.”
In late October, while visiting the hard-hit suburbs of Damascus, Wadephul doubted that large numbers of Syrian refugees would voluntarily return there in the short term given the enormous destruction. “Hardly anyone can live with dignity here,” he said. A week later, at a Bundestag faction meeting, according to several participants, he said that Syria looked worse than Germany in 1945. This statement also drew massive criticism.
Wadephul now says he “drove through Damascus completely destroyed by bombs.” He had an idea of the real situation there: no electricity, no water, no sewerage. Other cities such as Homs and Aleppo were even more devastated, there were area bombings by Russian and Assad forces as well as poison gas attacks, and there are still many unexploded bombs there. Of course, at least where it occurs, it is reminiscent of the aftermath of the Second World War. “You must never lose your empathy and your view of reality.”
Wadephul said that the federal government is helping so that the reconstruction carried out by ruin women in Germany can also be carried out there by ruin men and women with German help. But Syrians also need to be motivated to work there. “We also have to apply a little pressure.” However, this can only be achieved if done in the right way. The Syrian government wants to bring many people to their country. “Syria is a large and diverse country.”
Wadephul emphasized that it was clear that the perpetrators and perpetrators would be sent home. Those who, after many years, have not managed to learn German, complete any training and enter the work process cannot be permanently funded by German taxpayers. However, there are also many Syrians who have made extraordinary contributions to German society.
