Germany’s foreign minister says sanctions against Syrian officials responsible for war crimes must remain in place but called for a “smart approach” to provide relief to the Syrian population after last month’s overthrow of President Bashar Assad.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has advocated a relaxation of some EU sanctions against Syria following the ouster of long-time ruler Bashar al-Assad. "We as an international community must not let the chance of a future for Syria pass us by,

Syria's new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, who led the main rebel group in the alliance that overthrew Assad, is pushing for sanctions relief. His administration is represented at the Riyadh talks by Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani.

During a gathering Sunday, Saudi Arabia urged top European diplomats to lift sanctions against Syria to boost rebuilding the country and its economy after last month’s overthrow

Saudi Arabia on Sunday called for the lifting of sanctions on Syria after meetings with top diplomats from the Middle East and Europe that focused on the war-ravaged country's future.The Gulf kingdom,