European leaders have hailed the end of Bashar al-Assad's brutal rule in Syria as a moment of hope -– but they also view his sudden toppling as fraught with dangers.
As the war-torn country charts a new course, Europe is anxious to avoid fresh turmoil that could send migrants and jihadists once again heading to the continent.
"This historic change in the region offers opportunities but is not without risks," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote on X.