Source: European Parliament
The fall of Assad’s regime is a historic moment for the extraordinarily resilient Syrian people, who have suffered in their pursuit of dignity, freedom, and justice.
The EU’s principled and firm approach proved to be right. Now an inclusive, Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political solution, in the spirit of the United Nations (UN) Security Council Resolution 2254[1], is more urgent than ever.
In the Statement of 9 December 2024[2], the EU ‘urge[d] all actors to avoid any further violence… and urge[d] the protection of members of all minorities, including of Christian and other non-majority confessions.’
On 14 December 2024, in Jordan, the High Representative/Vice-President participated in an international meeting on Syria where Arab countries and other partners agreed on principles of engagement with the new authorities.
These included an inclusive political process with UN support, a government representative of all components of society, the build-up of institutions, the fight against Da’esh, accountability for crimes, and respect by all external actors of Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
In line with these principles, the EU considers fundamental both the protection of members of all — including ethnic and religious — minorities and their effective inclusion in the political transition.
The EU and its partners will continue to fight terrorism and remain committed to supporting the global coalition against Da’esh and other initiatives to counter violent extremism and radicalism. The EU continues to give help and particular attention to the issue of families of foreign terrorist held in camps in Northeast Syria.
Türkiye’s EU accession talks remain stalled due to democratic and legal setbacks, but the EU values Türkiye as a key partner and seeks progress through constructive cooperation.