📰 In the New Syria: Domestic Interests Shape Foreign Policy

The fall of the regime in syria occurred amid significant shifts in international theory, fostering emerging paradigms within the global order. These emerging concepts are grounded in greater objectivity than the traditional doctrines that have historically guided inter-state relations. The international environment in which Syria now finds itself can no longer be interpreted through static frameworks of intervention or the longstanding supremacy of norms and institutions. Instead, the global system has entered a emerging phase marked by “hard pragmatism”—a political approach centred on outcomes and national interests, divorced from rigid ideologies or idealistic principles. Accordingly, Syria’s foreign relations under the new administration are no longer merely the result of shifting alliances or historical positions.

Rather, they exemplify this new pragmatism, reflecting a recalibration of international engagement driven by necessity and interest. Although these relations appear aligned with the aspirations of the syrian people, they are also shaped by pressing regional and global concerns. Notably, the swift re-establishment of Arab and regional ties with Damascus following the fall of the Assad regime, and the opening of Arab and Western diplomatic channels after years of isolation, were not solely the result of regime change. Notably, they were equally motivated by a pressing need for a cooperative and stabilised Syria—particularly in regard to vital issues such as the trafficking of Captagon and other narcotics. The former regime had turned Syria into a significant hub for Captagon production, destabilising neighbouring states.

For numerous regional actors, change in Damascus became imperative to curtail this threat. The same logic applies to the issue of migration, which has placed enormous pressure on host countries and the European Union, forcing thousands of Syrians into perilous sea journeys. Within this context, it is unsurprising that Germany’s foreign minister and multiple EU envoys were among the first to visit Damascus after the country’s liberation. States engaged with the Syrian file have since moved to lift sanctions and explore investment opportunities—contingent on assurances such as Damascus’s ability to control its borders. The international community’s post-regime strategy has focused on de-escalation, mutual security, and cooperation tied to economic relief and engagement packages.

Relations Anchored in Realism Reports by the International Crisis Group describe the regional “normalisation” with Syria not as a return to Arab solidarity, but as a pragmatic response to shared threats—chiefly narcotics trafficking and the refugee crisis. Traditional demands for political transition were set aside in favour of more immediate security…