EU Signals Potential Shift in Approach toward Syria Amid Ongoing Discussions

Kallas participated in the Quint meeting on Syria, hosted by Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani. The Quint is an informal decision-making group comprising the US, France, Germany, Italy and the UK.

In mid-December, the European Union began direct engagement with the interim government established by the Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham [HTS], signaling the bloc’s openness to normalizing ties with Syria’s new leadership.

Recently, Kallas warned that EU sanctions on Syria would remain in place unless the country's new leadership demonstrated a commitment to protecting minorities and upholding women’s rights.

On the sidelines of the Quint meeting in Rome, and ahead of his trip to the Syrian capital Damascus, Italian Foreign Minister Tajani emphasized that strategic coordination among partners is essential to achieving peace and stability in Syria.

Italy remains the only G7 member to have reopened its embassy in Damascus since the US-triggered war began in Syria in 2011.

This has raised speculation about Italy’s potential role as a mediator between the broader West and certain West Asian countries, including Syria.

During her visit, Kallas also met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Both leaders underscored the need to strengthen the EU’s international role.