Zelenskyy says Ukraine preparing to resume diplomatic ties with Syria

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addresses a media conference during an EU summit in Brussels, Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Omar Havana)

KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Thursday he was preparing to re-establish diplomatic ties with Syria, less than a month after the overthrow of the Russia-backed government in Damascus.

Zelenskiy spoke after a visit to Syria by his Foreign Minister, Andrii Sybiha, and by Agriculture Minister Vitaliy Koval who said earlier Ukraine had already sent a shipment of food aid.

"We are preparing to resume diplomatic relations with Syria and cooperation in international organizations," Zelenskyy said.

Ukraine cut diplomatic ties with Syria in June 2022 after the then government in Damascus said it recognized the "independence" of the Russia-occupied territories in Ukraine's Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

Since rebels overthrew Syria's President Bashar al-Assad last month, Ukraine has been moving to build ties with the new Islamist rulers there. Russia, which invaded Ukraine in 2022, was a staunch ally of Assad and has given him political asylum.

Kyiv also planned to increase trade with Lebanon and at least double its agriculture exports from US$400 million, Zelenskyy added.

Zelenskiy previously said that Ukraine would send 500 metric tons of wheat flour to Syria under Kyiv's humanitarian "Grain from Ukraine" initiative in cooperation with the UN World Food Programme.

The delivery would provide resources for around 167,000 Syrians for a month, Koval said in a televised interview.

He added that the shipment will not be the last and that Syria was also interested in oil, sugar and meat deliveries.

"Today, at the level of government dialog, we clearly understand that support should be sustainable and not a one-off, but rather long-lasting and predictable," Koval said.

Moscow has also said it is in contact with the new administration in Damascus, including over the fate of Russian military facilities in Syria.

(Reporting by Anastasiia MalenkoEditing by David Goodman and Andrew Heavens)