Brussels: Diplomatic sources announced that the European Union agreed on Tuesday to lift all sanctions imposed on Syria. The ambassadors of the 27 member states of the bloc reached a preliminary agreement on this matter, and it is expected that their foreign ministers will officially announce it later today.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, Kaya Kallas, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, expressed hope ahead of the EU foreign policy meeting that the ministers meeting in Brussels would reach an agreement on lifting economic sanctions on Syria. She stated, “It is clear that we want to ensure that the Syrian people have job opportunities and decent livelihoods so that the country becomes more stable.”

The European Union announced on February 24 the suspension of some sanctions previously imposed on Syria under the former regime, specifically those related to the banking, energy, and transportation sectors. The European Union’s decision coincides with US President Donald Trump’s decision last week to lift all US sanctions imposed on Syria.