As Syria Reaches Forward, Sanctions are Holding it Back

With needs higher than ever before, Syria's transition hangs on a knife edge

On January 12, news emerged that EU Foreign Ministers were planning to meet in late-January to discuss the state of Syria sanctions and whether they should be “relaxed” now that Assad’s regime is no more. According to EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, any possible decision to ease sanctions would be “conditional” on the approach taken by the transitional government in Damascus towards issues like women and minority groups, and to combating “radicalization.” A similar message was conveyed by German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot during their visit to Damascus on January 3.