Ukrainian President Announces Efforts to Re-Establish Diplomatic Ties with Syria
Kyiv, The Gulf Observer: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has revealed that Ukraine is preparing to resume diplomatic relations with Syria, following the recent overthrow of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Damascus. In a statement on Thursday, Zelenskyy affirmed that Ukraine is working on re-establishing diplomatic ties and expanding cooperation in international organizations.
The announcement comes after a visit to Syria by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and Agriculture Minister Vitaliy Koval. Koval also confirmed that Ukraine had already sent a shipment of food aid to Syria, marking a significant step in the growing ties between the two nations.
Ukraine severed diplomatic relations with Syria in June 2022 after the Syrian government recognized the “independence” of Russian-occupied territories in Ukraine’s Donetsk and Luhansk regions. However, following the recent overthrow of Assad’s regime, Ukraine has moved quickly to engage with the new interim leadership in Syria.
In his remarks, President Zelenskyy also noted that Ukraine intends to increase trade with Lebanon and double its agricultural exports, which currently stand at $400 million. Furthermore, Zelenskyy outlined that Ukraine plans to send 500 metric tons of wheat flour to Syria as part of the “Grain from Ukraine” humanitarian initiative, in partnership with the UN World Food Programme. This shipment is expected to provide resources for approximately 167,000 Syrians for one month.
Minister Koval emphasized that this aid is just the beginning of Ukraine’s ongoing support for Syria, with plans to send additional shipments of oil, sugar, and meat. He also highlighted that the nature of the assistance will be long-term, aiming for sustainable and predictable support rather than one-time contributions.
Meanwhile, Russia, which has been a close ally of Assad and granted him political asylum, has indicated it is in contact with the new Syrian administration, including discussions regarding Russian military facilities in Syria.
