EU foreign ministers will address the issue of sanctions relief for Syria at the end of the month

European foreign ministers are scheduled to convene at the end of January to deliberate on the potential lifting of sanctions against Syria, as announced by the EU foreign policy chief on Sunday in Riyadh. This meeting will take place ahead of discussions involving senior diplomats from both the Middle East and the West, along with Syria’s newly appointed foreign minister.

Kaja Kallas, the EU’s foreign policy chief, indicated that the foreign ministers will gather in Brussels on January 27 to assess how the 27-member bloc might ease sanctions on Syria.

Following 13 years of civil conflict, President Bashar al-Assad was recently displaced in a swift offensive by insurgent forces led by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). This group has since established a provisional government in Damascus.

Any decision by European nations to relax sanctions will depend on the new Syrian administration’s governance approach, which must incorporate “various groups,” ensure women’s participation, and avoid “radicalization,” Kallas noted, without providing further details.

“We are prepared to take further steps if we observe positive developments. Conversely, if the situation does not improve, we can also reconsider our position,” she stated.

The conference on Sunday marks the first gathering of Western and regional leaders, hosted by Saudi Arabia, since Assad’s removal. This comes as Damascus appeals to the West for the lifting of sanctions to facilitate a smoother flow of international funding.

Following the conclusion of the conference, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud emphasized the importance of “lifting the unilateral and U.N. sanctions imposed on Syria, as ongoing sanctions will obstruct the aspirations of the Syrian people for development.”

The U.S., Britain, the European Union, and other nations imposed stringent sanctions on Syria following President Assad’s crackdown on pro-democracy protests in 2011, which escalated into a civil war. The current situation in Syria has been further complicated by sanctions on Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and certain leaders due to their historical ties to al-Qaeda.

Germany, which is spearheading the EU’s discussions on sanctions, proposed on Sunday that relief measures be implemented for the Syrian population while maintaining sanctions against Assad’s allies who have “committed serious crimes” during the conflict. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock stated, “Syrians now require immediate benefits from the transition of power, and we will continue to assist those in Syria who are in need, as we have throughout the years of civil war,” during a press briefing in Riyadh.

On Monday, the United States announced a six-month exemption from its sanctions for transactions involving governing institutions in Syria, aimed at facilitating humanitarian assistance and permitting certain energy transactions.

British Foreign Minister David Lammy participated in the discussions in Riyadh alongside ministers from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey, as well as U.N. Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen. The talks were set to concentrate on supporting the interim Syrian authorities, “including mechanisms to hold the Assad regime accountable for the war crimes committed against the Syrian people,” according to a statement from the UK Foreign Office.