Wall Street Journal: Washington links easing sanctions on Syria to a more inclusive government

The Wall Street Journal reported, quoting US officials, that the administration of President Donald Trump has stopped taking any steps to ease the restrictions imposed on Syria.

The Wall Street Journal explained that the Trump administration is dealing with extreme caution with any reduction in economic sanctions on Syria, noting that any easing of economic pressures must be conditional on the formation of a more inclusive government than the current government in Damascus.

The move comes as the European Union moves to ease some economic restrictions on Syria, in a move aimed at ending its economic isolation.

The EU was Syria’s largest trading partner before the war, and now, as the war winds down, the country faces major challenges in rebuilding itself and paying government salaries.

Among the European moves, the EU intends to ease some sanctions on Syria’s energy and banking sectors, although the Trump administration has halted US moves to ease these sanctions.

According to the sources, the Trump administration believes that allowing the Syrian regime to benefit from any sanctions relief without real political reforms could strengthen the power of the current government, which is dominated by Hay’at Tahrir al Sham and allied factions, rather than moving the country toward a sustainable political solution.

While the Biden administration eased some restrictions on humanitarian aid payments before leaving office, the Trump administration halted any further steps in this direction.

The Wall Street Journal reported that despite the US sanctions, European officials are confident that their moves will push some companies and relief agencies to resume their work in Syria.

In this context, the Wall Street Journal stated that the European Union seeks to maintain its influence over the Syrian government through gradual steps to ease other economic restrictions over the coming months.

However, the EU confirmed, according to the Wall Street Journal, that it will maintain the arms embargo imposed on Syria, as well as the sanctions targeting senior officials in the Assad regime.

With the continuation of US sanctions, foreign companies will continue to face major challenges in establishing economic relations with Syria, amid fears of falling into the trap of US sanctions.