Upheaval in Syria
Baerbock holds out the prospect of easing sanctions for Syria
Updated on January 12, 2025 – 1:33 p.mReading time: 4 minutes
Arab states, Turkey and EU states such as Germany are discussing in Saudi Arabia how they should position themselves on Syria. The situation after the fall of Assad remains difficult.
Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has promised Syria an easing of EU sanctions after the fall of long-term ruler Bashar al-Assad. The Green Party politician said on the sidelines of an international conference in the Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh: “We as an international community cannot let the opportunity for a future for Syria pass by, despite all the justified skepticism. That’s why we as Germany and as Europe are now going first concrete steps.”
“Sanctions against the Assad clan and its henchmen, who committed serious crimes during the terrible civil war in Syria, must be maintained,” said Baerbock. However, the federal government is proposing that the European Union take a “smart approach” and quickly support the Syrian population so that there is something to buy in shops or markets, so that there is more electricity and reconstruction can be started could. “All of this promotes stability and ensures the peaceful transfer of power.”
The EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas wrote on Platform X that they would examine how sanctions could be relaxed. However, this must be accompanied by tangible progress in a political transition that reflects Syria in all its diversity.
The EU imposed sanctions against Syria starting in 2011 in response to the Assad government’s violent crackdown on the civilian population. These are directed against the now overthrown government and its supporters as well as against economic sectors from which the government benefited. The EU measures include a ban on investments in the Syrian oil industry and in companies involved in the construction of new power plants to generate electricity in Syria, a ban on imports of crude oil from Syria, an arms embargo and other export restrictions.
In addition to foreign ministers from Arab states, Syria’s de facto Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and British Foreign Minister David Lammy also took part in the conference in Riyadh. In addition to Baerbock, EU Foreign Affairs Representative Kaja Kallas was also on site from the EU.

Since the fall of long-time ruler Bashar al-Assad on December 8, 2024, Syria has been in a phase of political upheaval and reorientation. Since then, the still fragmented country has been led by a transitional government. It emerged from the Islamist group Haiat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which forced Assad to flee to Russia through a rebel offensive led by it. Syria is strongly divided along religious lines. Foreign states sometimes have a great influence on developments in the country, where a civil war raged for almost 14 years.
In Syria and internationally, people are closely monitoring these weeks to see whether HTS will respect the rights of women or religious minorities in the country and allow them to participate in public life. Meanwhile, fighting continues, especially in the north of the deeply divided country. Kurdish militias are fighting there against fighters supported by Turkey, and the Turkish air force and artillery are also in action. According to experts, Turkey in particular has gained influence as a result of the upheaval in Syria.
Baerbock promised further help to improve the humanitarian situation in Syria. Germany will once again support the UN World Food Program and various non-governmental organizations with an additional 50 million euros for food, emergency accommodation and medical care, said Baerbock.
The humanitarian situation remains catastrophic and the current situation is volatile. “For the important political transition, there is an urgent need to improve the living conditions of people in the different regions.” Baerbock also called for the Assad government’s crimes to be dealt with. Human rights activists have documented thousands of systematic killings, torture and other crimes under Assad and his father Hafez, who ruled together for more than 50 years.
The civil war in Syria has had devastating consequences for the country’s people, infrastructure and economy. 16 million people are dependent on humanitarian aid and 70 percent of the population live in poverty. The economy has shrunk by 85 percent since 2011. It is estimated that reconstruction could cost between $250 billion and $400 billion. Around 13 million people were displaced within the country or fled abroad.