Europe EU decides to end economic sanctions against Syria
Around six months after the fall of long-term ruler Bashar al-Assad, the foreign ministers of the EU member states have decided to completely lift economic sanctions against Syria. This was announced by EU chief diplomat Kaja Kallas in Brussels.
20.05.2025, 18:51
SDA
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said that the new Syrian leadership was being given a chance, but that they expected a policy that included all population groups and religious groups. It is important that there is a united Syria that can take its future into its own hands.
Arms embargo remains in place
According to the agreed approach, only sanctions against individuals and organizations with links to the Assad regime or responsibility for the violent repression of the Syrian people, as well as for human rights violations, are to remain in place. In addition, export restrictions on weapons and goods and technologies used for internal repression will remain in force for the time being. This includes, for example, eavesdropping and surveillance software.
EU hopes for fewer refugees
The EU member states had already agreed in February to gradually ease sanctions in order to support a rapid economic recovery as well as the reconstruction and stabilization of the country. Measures in the energy, transportation and banking sectors were initially suspended until June. However, far-reaching restrictions on the central bank, among other things, remained in place for the time being.
With this action, the EU is following the course set by the new US President Donald Trump. He had already announced the lifting of all US sanctions last week. The EU also hopes that once the country has stabilized, hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees in the EU will one day be able to return home. For many years, Syrians made up a large proportion of the refugees arriving in the EU.
Excesses of violence overshadow hopes
The EU explained the lifting of sanctions despite the recent outbreaks of violence between different population groups in Syria with a lack of alternatives. There are still doubts as to whether the government is moving in the right direction, said EU chief diplomat Kaja Kallas. In her view, however, there was no choice. The country must be allowed to stabilize in order to avoid a development like that in Afghanistan.
Recently, there has been fierce fighting in Syria between members of the Druze minority and Sunni militias. Back in March, there was bloody sectarian fighting in the western coastal region of Syria between government troops of the new rulers and militias loyal to Assad.
Experts also see the easing of sanctions from Western countries as prevention against the influence of third parties. Continued sanctions would make the country even more dependent on former Assad allies such as Iran and Russia. "This would open the door to renewed extremism, regional instability and the resurgence of the Islamic State," analyzes the US think tank Atlantic Council.
