EU Ready to Levy New Anti-Syria Sanctions - European Council

BRUSSELS (Sputnik) — The European Union is prepared to lay down additional restrictive measures against Syria, the Council of the EU said in a statement Monday.

The war-torn Arab republic has been hit by a series of EU and US sanctions since an internal conflict broke out in Syria four years ago.

"The EU will continue its policy of imposing additional sanctions targeting the regime and its supporters, as long as repression continues," the communique read.

The Council's statement comes on the heels of US Secretary of State John Kerry's admission on Sunday that Washington will "in the end" have to negotiate with Damascus in a bid to alleviate the four-year-long conflict that, according to latest UN estimates, has led to over 200,000 deaths.

In the latest effort to continue isolating Damascus, the 28-member bloc added seven individuals and six entities last week to a list of those subject to travel bans and asset freezes.

The European Union first imposed trade restrictions and sanctions against a number of Syrian officials in 2011 over the Syrian government forces' alleged repression of the country's civilian population.

The blacklist now includes 218 individuals and 69 entities.

The EU Council imposed one-year oil, investment, transport and export-import bans on May 31, 2013, extending it to June 1, 2015 a year later.