EU agrees to ease sanctions on Syria following Assad's fall, chief diplomat says

The European Union's foreign ministers reached a political agreement on Jan. 27 to ease sanctions on Syria following the collapse of dictator Bashar al-Assad's regime.

The move comes as opposition forces captured Damascus on Dec. 8 in a rapid offensive, toppling Assad after 24 years in power.

"While we aim to move fast, the lifting of sanctions can be reversed if wrong steps are taken," EU chief diplomat Kaja Kallas posted on X, adding that the EU plans to scale up humanitarian aid and reconstruction efforts in Syria.

The agreement may include lifting energy and transportation-related sanctions, though restrictions on financial transactions remain under discussion, Reuters reported on Jan. 26.

The policy shift reflects growing support within the EU for cooperating with Syria's new leadership. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron previously expressed their readiness to work with the rebel forces that ousted Assad.

Syria has also taken steps to distance itself from Russia. The port of Tartus recently terminated a 49-year investment deal with Russian construction company Stroytransgaz.

Ukraine has also engaged with Syria's new leadership. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha visited Damascus on Dec. 30 to discuss Russia's military presence in Syria.

Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi noted that Kyiv and Syria share similar views on the issue, though specific details were not disclosed.

EU suspends visa privileges for Georgian officials over democratic backsliding

“Fundamental rights and democratic values are core principles of EU integration. Officials that represent a country which trample down these values should not benefit from easier access to the EU,” said Tomasz Siemoniak, Poland’s interior minister.

The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy