EU greenlights lifting of all economic sanctions on Syria
The European Union and the United Kingdom had already lifted some sanctions on Syria in certain sectors including aviation, energy and media.
The European Union has approved the lifting of all economic sanctions on Syria to help the war-torn country recover after the ouster of longtime dictator Bashar al-Assad last December, according to diplomats.
What happened: On Tuesday afternoon, ambassadors from the EU’s 27 member states reached a preliminary agreement for the decision, which is expected to be announced later today when the bloc's foreign ministers meet in Brussels, Agence France-Presse reported, citing the diplomats, who emphasized that the final decision was up to the ministers.
The decision comes shortly after the EU's top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, said she hoped ministers gathering in the Belgian capital will reach an agreement to lift the sanctions.
"It is clear that we want there to be jobs and livelihoods for the people [in Syria] so that it would be a more stable country," Kallas told reporters in Brussels.
