The European Union is to push Monday (May 11, 2026) for a revival of ties with Syria as it looks to bolster the war-ravaged country, with an eye on prospects for Syrian migrants in Europe to one day return home.
The bloc's Foreign Ministers will meet in Brussels with Syrian top diplomat Asaad al-Shaibani to kick off a high-level "political dialogue" 18 months after the ouster of strongman Bashar al-Assad.
More than 200,000 fled Lebanon for Syria in March: UNHCR
An EU official said the aim was to back reconstruction of the country devastated by more than a decade of civil war that sent millions fleeing abroad, and where "the reality on the ground is still appalling".
Some 13 million Syrians — nearly half the population — depend on food assistance, the official said. Needs are enormous, and the EU has already pledged 620 million euros ($730 million) in aid for the 2026-2027 period.
