European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that the European Union will raise Syria’s recognition of Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region, also known as South Ossetia, during talks with the Syrian leadership.

Von der Leyen made the commitment in response to an appeal from Georgia’s Coalition for Change, which had asked the European Commission to make Syria’s withdrawal of recognition of Georgia’s occupied regions and Ukraine’s occupied territories a priority in its engagement with Damascus. Coalition leader Nika Gvaramia indicated that the response reaffirmed the EU’s support for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Syria recognized Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states in May 2018 under then-President Bashar al-Assad and subsequently established diplomatic relations with both entities. Georgia responded by severing diplomatic relations with Syria.

Gvaramia argued that the issue could carry particular weight because Syria requires European assistance, suggesting that European engagement could contribute to a possible change in Damascus’s position.

The EU has consistently backed Georgia’s territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders and rejected recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states.