EU Pledges Recovery Aid as Syria Seeks New Partnership
EU High Representative Kaja Kallas visited Damascus to announce recovery aid and negotiate a new partnership agreement while Syria urged the bloc to pressure Israel.
European Union High Representative Kaja Kallas visited Damascus on September 29 to announce an upgraded partnership with Syria and support for its economic recovery following the December 2024 ousting of Bashar al-Assad. During meetings with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani, Kallas announced that the EU has provided 620 million euros for humanitarian needs and institutional strengthening, including 60.2 million euros specifically for recovery. The EU has reactivated its cooperation agreement and lifted economic sanctions on several government entities, including the interior and defense ministries.
Both parties intend to produce a joint scoping paper by the first quarter of 2027 to replace a 1977 accord. Kallas stated that further investment and partnership growth depend on Syria implementing domestic reforms, including the rule of law and the equal participation of women. Syria is also seeking inclusion in the EU's 2028–2034 multiannual financial framework.
Security tensions dominated the talks, as Foreign Minister al-Shaibani urged the EU to exert concrete pressure on Israel to halt systematic attacks and ground incursions in southern Syria. Al-Shaibani demanded that Israeli forces withdraw to the lines held on December 8, 2024, and reaffirmed Syrian sovereignty over the Golan Heights. President Ahmed al-Sharaa recently reported to the UN General Assembly that Israel has conducted nearly 500 air and artillery strikes and over 1,200 incursions since the previous regime fell. Kallas responded by emphasizing that the 1974 Disengagement Agreement must be respected.
