PARIS — With the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham sanctioned by the United Nations and the United States, the European Union is searching for ways to connect with the Syrian rebels who overthrew the government of Bashar al-Assad and with the newly appointed caretaker government in Damascus.

UN Resolution 2254 designated HTS' precursor, Jabhat Al-Nusra, a terrorist organization in 2015 because of its affiliation with al-Qaeda, a designation that all 27 EU member countries accepted. As a result, the EU has had no direct recent contact with the group. 

A senior European diplomat speaking to Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity said on Thursday that the EU leadership in Brussels and several European governments are trying to identify Syrian decision-makers and influencers with whom they can establish dialogue. 

"The European Union is not currently engaging with HTS or its leaders, full stop," EU spokesperson Anouar El Anouni said on Monday. "As HTS takes on greater responsibilities, we will need to assess not just their words, but also their actions."