German and French officials are due to meet representatives of Syria's new governing authorities in Damascus on Tuesday, expanding Western contacts with the new administration after British diplomats met its leader Ahmed al-Sharaa late on Monday. VOA’s Esther Githui-Ewart spoke to Hussein Banai, a Professor of Middle East and International Studies at Indiana University, for insight. They also discusssed the latest political and leadership developments in Syria as representatives of other countries appear to warm up to Syria’s new leader, Ahmed al -Sharaa.