German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier met with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the country's de facto ruler, in Riyadh on Monday as he embarked on a three-day visit to the Middle East.

Frank-Walter Steinmeier kicked off a three-day tour of the Middle East on Monday when he held talks with Saudi Arabia's Mohammed bin Salman. Berlin's reputation in the region has suffered due to its support for Israel.

Sharaa, met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh on Sunday in his first foreign trip as Syrian leader, in a sign of the major shifts under way in regional alliances.