EU leaders still wary of Syria's new regime as bloc lifts all economic sanctions on country

The European Union has followed US President Donald Trump’s footsteps in removing economic sanctions on Syria to “help its people rebuild a new Syria”.

The bloc’s Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas announced the step on X, saying, “Today, we took the decision to lift our economic sanctions on Syria. The EU has always stood by Syrians throughout the last 14 years - and will keep doing so.”

Today, we took the decision to lift our economic sanctions on Syria.

We want to help the Syrian people rebuild a new, inclusive and peaceful Syria.

The EU has always stood by Syrians throughout the last 14 years - and will keep doing so.

— Kaja Kallas (@kajakallas) May 20, 2025

In December last year, Syrian rebels ousted longtime dictator Bashar al-Assad, whose violent crackdown on pro-democracy protests in 2011 sparked a civil war and led to widespread international sanctions. Since his removal, some leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, have called for lifting these sanctions to help support Syria’s economic recovery.

At the same time, EU leaders are wary of the new regime in Syria led by former rebel leader Ahmed al-Sharaa. Last year, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned that the regime change in Syria “offers opportunities but is not without risks.”

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Meanwhile, Syria’s foreign minister said on Tuesday that the lifting of sanctions on his country showed an “international will” to support Damascus.

In a press conference in Damascus alongside his Jordanian counterpart, Asaad al-Shaibani said that “lifting sanctions expresses the regional and international will to support Syria”, adding that “the Syrian people today have a very important and historic opportunity to rebuild their country”.

“The plan today is to benefit from the lifting of sanctions. Anyone who wants to invest in Syria, the doors are open; anyone who wants to cooperate with Syria, there are no sanctions,” he added.