The European Union has pledged approximately €2 billion in support for Syrian refugees at the 8th Support Conference for the Future of Syria and the Region. Held in Brussels, the conference saw EU High Representative Josep Borrell announce that €560 million will be allocated to refugees in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, and Jordan for 2024 and 2025, while €1 billion will go to Turkey.
Borrell emphasized that financial aid alone is insufficient and urged for greater efforts towards a political resolution of the Syrian crisis. He reiterated the EU’s stance that conditions are not currently safe for the voluntary return of refugees to Syria, aligning with the United Nations’ assessment. Borrell also called on international partners to uphold the principle of non-refoulement and condemned forced deportation practices.