The fall of the Assad regime marks the beginning of a new chapter for the Syrian people and the broader Middle East. First, I would like to take a moment to reaffirm that the European Union’s approach to Syria all these 14 years has been both principled and firm – and has proven [to be] the right one.  We remain true to our values. We hold dear freedom, human rights, inclusiveness, respect for minorities, and accountability.

We stood with the Syrian people in Syria and the diaspora, organizing each year an international conference for the future of Syria. The European Union and its Member States mobilize more than 33.3 billion in humanitarian, development, economic, and stabilisation assistance, providing support both Syrians inside the country and in the region, as well as outside.

Now there is a historic window of opportunity, and we Europeans need to act decisively and cohesively also with our key partners. I was in Aqaba on Saturday for the international meeting convened by Jordan, important because it included the key regional actors, the neighbours of Syria, as well as the United Nations, United States, and the European Union. We agreed on principles which are very important to the Syrian people and to all of us – stability, sovereignty, territorial integrity of Syria. A Syrian-led and Syrian-owned inclusive political process with the support of the United Nations, [with a] government respectful of all components of society, buildup of institutions – also the fight against Daesh and the destruction of chemical weapons. Finally, accountability for the crimes committed by the Assad regime and others.