Villy Søvndal, Denmark’s former foreign minister and a current member of the European Parliament (EP), sent a letter to Kaja Kallas, the High Representative of the European Union (EU) for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, addressing the situation in Rojava. In his letter, Søvndal said that the European Union must provide a clear and consistent response to the situation facing Kurds in Syria.
Søvndal said that Kurds needed more than expressions of sympathy and required concrete support, noting that while the world’s attention had shifted to other crises, Kurdish regions in Syria were once again coming under military attack. He said that these attacks were having devastating consequences for civilians and warned that the most stable and democratic forces in the region were facing a serious threat.
Søvndal said that Kurds had played a decisive role in the fight against ISIS, recalling that they had built local governance structures based on secularism, equality, and respect for minorities. He said that Rojava’s relative stability within a fragmented Syria was no coincidence, adding that the international community’s inaction was sending a dangerous message.
Søvndal said that remaining silent while Rojava was under attack meant that those fighting for democracy and human rights would not receive support when they needed it most, adding that this responsibility for Europe was not only moral but also political and security-related. Søvndal said: “When Rojava is under attack and the international community remains inactive, a dangerous message is being sent: those who fight for democracy and human rights cannot rely on our support when it truly matters. Europe bears responsibility for this. It is not only a moral issue, but also a political and security one.”
Søvndal said that stability in the region required the protection of allies and the defense of the rule of law, calling on the European Union to adopt a clear and consistent stance toward the situation of Kurds in Syria. He concluded his letter by saying, “Even in this situation, silence is not neutrality; it is a choice.”