The US has no fixed timetable for lifting sanctions on Syria, according to State Department spokesperson Michael Mitchell, even as the European Union approved plans on Tuesday to scrap its broad economic restrictions on Damascus.
Speaking to Syria's state-run media, Mitchell said the Trump administration sees sanctions relief as a possible pathway to "stability and security", but stressed that some measures, especially those enacted by Congress, require complex procedural and legislative steps.
"Some sanctions were imposed through executive actions and can be reversed relatively easily," he said. "Others, passed by Congress, require additional administrative and legislative processes."
Mitchell added that President Donald Trump's administration views Syria as "an important country" and has been encouraged by the leadership of President Ahmad al-Sharaa, calling him an "attractive, tough guy" after a recent meeting during Trump’s Gulf tour in Saudi Arabia.
"The Syrian government is acting rationally and reasonably," he said. "We had a good impression following the meeting with President al-Sharaa. This gives us hope."
His comments came just days after Trump announced in Riyadh that the US intends to begin lifting sanctions on Damascus, following consultations with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. He framed the move as an attempt to "give a chance" to Syria's new leadership and support a transition to stability.
The US embassy in Damascus has remained closed since 2012, following the Assad regime’s violent suppression of protests. Mitchell said reopening it is a long-term goal, but not an immediate priority.
Meanwhile, European Union leaders meeting in Brussels agreed to remove all economic sanctions on Syria, aimed at bolstering the country’s recovery following the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime.
The measures being lifted include bans on Syrian oil imports, banking and financial restrictions, investment limitations in infrastructure and energy, and a prohibition on luxury goods exports. These sanctions were set to expire on June 1 unless renewed.
However, targeted sanctions, such as the arms embargo, surveillance tech restrictions, and asset freezes on regime-linked individuals, will remain in place for now.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas welcomed the move, saying: "We want to see jobs and livelihoods return to Syria so that it becomes a more stable country."
She has also called for a more flexible approach that would allow funding for specific Syrian ministries, including defence and interior, within tightly controlled areas like reconstruction, counter-terrorism, and migration management.
While the EU had already relaxed some measures in past years, growing pressure from member states has pushed the bloc to go further in supporting Syria’s recovery and curbing the potential for wider regional instability.