Hope in Syria is hanging by a thread: EU pledges more aid to country despite violence

European Union countries will continue to back Syria’s new leadership through both financial aid and sanctions relief despite an outbreak of sectarian violence threatening the country’s stability, Politico writes, referring to the bloc’s foreign ministers.

Germany led the charge by pledging €300 million in support for food, health and other essential services for Syria’s population, as the EU’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas said the bloc will continue to lift sanctions against Syria.

“As Europeans, we stand together for the people of Syria, for a free and peaceful Syria,” German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock added ahead of an annual donor conference for Syria in Brussels.

Kallas insisted the bloc needed to double down on its support for Syria, while striking a note of caution. “The violence outbreak is really worrying,” she said. “It shows that hope in Syria is really hanging by a thread. This shows that we need to do more to really show that Syria is going in the right direction.”

A senior EU official said last week they hoped additional funding would help Syria “turn a page” on 14 years of civil war, amid concerns that a freeze on international aid from the United States could worsen the situation on the ground.

The EU has spearheaded efforts to restore diplomatic ties with Syria in recent months, including by lifting sanctions originally imposed against Assad’s regime.