The E.U. is moving to ease sanctions in a bid to sway how HTS leads Syria’s transition and to further curb Russian influence in the region, diplomats told The Post.

For the first time since the fall of Bashar Assad's regime in Syria, the EU is considering lifting sanctions in a variety of sectors. But the bloc wants to keep leverage over the Islamist group now in power.

EU sanctions include bans on oil imports from Syria, as well as a ban on investment in the Syrian oil industry and a freeze on any Syrian central bank assets in the EU. The proposed roadmap indicates some existing sanctions, including those related to arms and entities linked to the Assad regime, would not be suspended.

Six member states of the European Union have called for the bloc to temporarily suspend sanctions on Syria in areas such as transport, energy and banking, according to a paper seen by Reuters.