German official: Brussels considers easing anti-Syrian sanctions amid changing situation

Spokesman for the German Federal Foreign Office Christian Wagner has said that discussions are underway in Brussels regarding the potential easing of anti-Syrian sanctions.

"Sanctions were imposed by the UN and the EU in response to the brutal repression of the Syrian population. However, the situation on the ground has changed and the existing sanctions are now being reviewed," Wagner said, Caliber.Az reports per Russian media. 

He noted that sanctions against individuals involved in serious crimes during the civil war and those who supported the regime of Syrian ex-President Bashar al-Assad will not be lifted.

“Discussions about the possibility of easing sanctions on certain sectors of Syria’s economy that were previously controlled by Assad’s regime in an effort to support the Syrian population are ongoing,” he said. 

Wagner added that any final decision on revising the restrictions can only be made collectively by the EU member states.

The US plans to ease sanctions on Syria to expedite the delivery of humanitarian aid, without lifting the restrictions entirely. The US intends to allow the Department of the Treasury to grant exemptions for groups and companies rendering essential services in Syria, such as water and electricity supply, as well as other humanitarian shipments.

At the end of November 2024, armed opposition groups launched a large-scale offensive on Syrian army positions. On December 8, they entered Damascus, and Bashar al-Assad resigned from the presidency and left the country. 

On December 10, Mohammed al-Bashir, who led the so-called Salvation Government in Idlib province, announced his appointment as the head of Syria's transitional government, which is set to last until March 1, 2025.

By Naila Huseynova