European Union foreign policy head Kaja Kallas speaks to reporters ahead of a meeting of EU foreign ministers, Brussels, Belgium, January 27, 2025 (Virginia Mayo/AP)

UPDATE: US Sharing Secret Intelligence With Syria’s New Government

UPDATE 1513 GMT:

Syrian Finance Minister Mohammed Abazeed has hosted European Union officials in the first post-Assad discussion of Syria’s financial position and potential sanctions relief.

Abazeed told Germany’s temporary envoy to Syria, Bjorn Gehrmann, and EU representative Michael Ohnmacht, “We hope that the image Germany had of Syria before December 8 will change.”

Gehrmann responded:

It’s a pleasure to be here in the new Syria after almost 13 years of absence.

We’re now in the process of reestablishing our diplomatic presence in Damascus….we have a couple of questions and a couple of messages that I would like to discuss with you today in order to start our diplomatic relations, also on the financial matters.

Gehrmann reaffirmed the message from a meeting of EU foreign ministers earlier this week that the details of the easing of sanctions are still being confirmed and could take a few weeks.

He said the meeting had explored Syria’s budgetary situation and financial sector regulations and priorities for sanctions relief:
“It was the first discussion about the general situation and what we heard so far was encouraging.”

UPDATE, JAN 29:

The Syrian Government has hosted the first Russian delegation to visit the country since the fall of the Assad regime last month.

Russia propped up the regime for almost 14 years throughout the Syrian uprising, notably with military intervention in 2015. The Kremlin refused to save Bashar al-Assad last month, but allowed him to flee to Moscow.

The Russian delegation was led by Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov and Vladimir Putin’s special envoy for Syria, Alexander Lavrentyev. They are seeing Syria’s de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa and Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani.

Bogdanov said the discussion of almost three hours were “constructive”. They included the future of Russia’s air and naval bases in western Syria, which were vital to the Assad regime’s deadly repression of the uprising.

Bogdanov said Russia’s military presence is “unchanged”. However, monitors have observed the disappearance of Russian equipment and weapons from the Tartus base, coinciding with the departure of the cargo ship Sparta II.

Officials and analysts says the Russian stocks are being transferred to Libya, where insurgent Gen. Khalifa Haftar is waging a campaign against the UN-recognized national government.

The Syrian Government pressed “Russia’s role in rebuilding trust with the Syrian people through concrete measures such as compensation, reconstruction, and recovery”.

It also highlighted conversation on “mechanisms for transitional justice aimed at ensuring accountability and achieving justice for the victims of the brutal war waged by the Assad regime”.

The restoration of relations must address past mistakes, respect the will of the Syrian people, and serve their interests.

UPDATE 1516 GMT:

A “large amount” of Russian military equipment has reportedly disappeared from the port of Tartus in western Syria.

The disappearance coincides with the departure of the Russian cargo ship Sparta II, which had been waiting for weeks in the eastern Mediterranean before being allowed to dock in Tartus.

The Sparta I cargo ship remains in dock.

Monitors, analysts, and officials have assessed that the two cargo ships are moving Russian weapons and equipment to Libya, where insurgent Gen. Khalifa Haftar is challenging the UN-recognized national government.

See also Russia Is Moving Military Resources From Syria To Libya — Will Europe Respond?

ORIGINAL ENTRY: European Union foreign ministers have agreed a process to ease Assad-era sanctions on Syria.

Monday’s meeting in Brussels considered steps over “certain sanctions that had applied to the energy and transport sectors and to financial institutions”, said France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot.

Officials will now work on technical details before a suspension of the sanctions is legally adopted.

European leaders have cited the need to assist Syria’s recovery and stabilization following the fall of the Assad regime last month. However, they have also said that removal of sanctions is contingent on progress with the post-liberation transition, led by the Islamist faction Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, and with rights and inclusion for women and minorities.

EU foreign policy head Kaja Kallas said after the session:

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani welcomed the “positive step”, “We hope that this decision reflects positively on all aspects of life for the Syrian people and ensures sustainable development.”