EU considers 'staged approach' to suspending Syria sanctions

The European Union is considering a step-by-step suspension of multiple economic sanctions targeting Syria as it seeks to support the country’s transition, while retaining some leverage, according to two internal documents seen by Reuters. EU foreign ministers are expected to discuss suspending some Syrian sanctions during a meeting in Brussels on Jan. 27. European capitals began reassessing their Syria policies after the ousting of president Bashar al-Assad by insurgent forces led by the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) that the United Nations designates a terrorist group.