Germany reopened its embassy in Damascus on Thursday, 13 years after shuttering it amid Syria’s civil war, signaling a cautious step toward re-engagement as the country navigates a fragile political transition.

Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, on her second visit since Bashar Assad’s fall in December, presided over the reopening before meeting interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa. “Germany is back in Damascus,” she declared, underscoring Europe’s need for “eyes and ears” on the ground.

The move places Germany among a handful of EU nations—Italy and Spain preceded it—re-establishing diplomatic footholds in Syria.

For now, the embassy operates with a skeletal staff, supported by personnel from Lebanon, and offers no consular services. Baerbock tied a full ambassadorial presence to future stability and security, reflecting wariness after recent clashes killed 1,000, mostly Alawites, in the worst violence since Assad’s ouster.

Baerbock pressed the interim government to hold perpetrators accountable and praised a recent deal with Kurdish-led authorities in the northeast, urging broader inclusion to forge a unified Syria. Germany’s stake is personal: it hosts a significant Syrian refugee population among the millions displaced over a decade.

A sudden mass return, she warned, could collapse Syria, advocating a phased repatriation starting with neighboring countries.

The reopening marks a pragmatic pivot for Germany, a key EU player, as it seeks to influence Syria’s post-Assad era. With a transitional government taking shape, Baerbock’s visit underscores Europe’s intent to monitor—and nudge—Syria toward stability, one careful step at a time.