The U.S. and the EU Reaction on Syria's Change of Power

The article is devoted to a comparative analysis of the approaches taken by the U.S. and the EU toward the change of power in Syria that occurred in December 2024. It examines each side's stance toward the old and new Syrian governments, changes in sanctions regimes, approaches to geopolitical adversaries such as Russia and Iran, as well as policies regarding Turkey, the Islamic State*, and Israel. The article concludes that for the U.S. – especially during the Trump administration – the primary focus lies in ensuring Israel's security and eliminating Iranian influence in Syria. In contrast, the EU emphasizes creating conditions for the repatriation of Syrian refugees and geopolitical confrontation with Russia. These differences may eventually lead to a strategic divergence between the U.S. and the EU in their respective policies on Syria.

U.S., EU, Syria, Syrian civil war, Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham*, Bashar al-Assad's fall