BEIRUT (AP) — Syrian President Bashar Assad says the European Union should have no role in the reconstruction of Syria unless it changes its policy toward the Mideast country.

Assad says EU countries back opposition fighters who inflicted destruction on Syria and "they cannot destroy and build at the same time."

Assad also said President Donald Trump's campaign statements on fighting terrorism were "promising" but it's still early to "expect anything" on the ground.

Assad's remarks were given to Belgian media. Syria's state news agency SANA on Tuesday released a text of the interview, which was conducted a day earlier.

Syria's six-year civil war has killed about 300,000 people and caused much devastation across the country.

U.N. official Abdullah Al Dardari said in Beirut last month that reconstruction will cost around $350 billion.