‘Can’t allow IS in Syria’: After meeting Erdogan, EU president says will directly engage with HTS

The European Union will establish contacts with Syria’s new leadership and reopen its delegation in the country, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Tuesday.

Von der Leyen also said the EU would increase humanitarian aid to Syria. But she warned of the risk of a resurgence by hardline Islamic State militants and said this must not be allowed to happen.

“We are ready to reopen our delegation, which is the European embassy, and we want this to be fully operational again,” Kallas said in European Parliament.

Kallas said she had asked the EU’s delegation head to go to Damascus on Monday to establish contact with the new leadership in Syria and various other groups.

More from World

Nepal's new PM pays homage to people died during the Gen Z protest in her first national address This Week in Explainers: How recovering from Gen-Z protests is a Himalayan task for Nepal

“We have already started to have a process to engage cautiously with Damascus pushing for an inclusive and tolerant approach. I see we have a chance here to really impact the region, and we need to follow closely the next steps in the short term,” she said.

Von der Leyen told reporters in Ankara after a visit to Turkey’s President Tayyip Erdogan that the EU must step its direct engagement with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the Islamist group which spearheaded the offensive which toppled Bashar al-Assad earlier this month.

“However, the lack of predictability demands utmost caution. The risk of a Daesh (Islamic State) resurgence, particularly in eastern Syria, is real. We cannot let this happen. And Turkey’s legitimate security concerns must be addressed,” she added.

Impact Shorts

More Shorts

‘The cries of this widow will echo’: In first public remarks, Erika Kirk warns Charlie’s killers they’ve ‘unleashed a fire’

Trump urges Nato to back sanctions on Russia, calls for 50–100% tariffs on China