Italy announced last week that it will send an ambassador to Syria for the first time in over a decade, reestablishing communication with the regime of President Bashar al-Assad in an effort to counteract Russian involvement in the country. Given that Italy, along with many other Western nations, withdrew diplomatic staff from Syria in 2012 in protest of Assad’s “unacceptable violence” against his own people, the decision to reengage with the Middle Eastern country is expected to cause division within the G7 bloc.
Addressing the Italian Parliament on Thursday, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani announced the intention to return ambassadors to Syria, tapping Stefano Ravagnan, currently the foreign ministry’s special envoy, for the task.
After the outbreak of the war in Syria—which killed thousands and displaced millions of refugees who fled to Europe—most Western nations and neighboring Arab countries cut ties. However, after Assad regained control of most of Syria from jihadist rebels, many Middle Eastern nations reopened communications.
Tajani said Thursday the European Union should adopt a similar approach given the “development of the situation,” adding that Italy has received support from Austria, Croatia, Greece, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Cyprus, and Slovakia.
Connor Walcott is a staff writer for Valuetainment.com. Follow Connor on X and look for him on VT’s “The Unusual Suspects.”
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