Ukraine's Foreign Minister meets with Syria's new leader in Damascus: Details

The first information about the visit of the Ukrainian delegation to Damascus to meet with leader Ahmed al-Sharaa was shared by Al Arabiya in a post on X (formerly Twitter), referring to its own sources.

Later, a correspondent from Syrian television reported that the delegation, led by Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, met with Ahmed al-Sharaa.

The high-level Ukrainian delegation included Ukraine's Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Agriculture, and the Special Representative of the President of Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Reuters published photos from the meeting.

Photo: Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha meeting with Syria's new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa in Damascus (Getty Images)

Initial statements

Photo: The Ukrainian delegation led by Sybiha is in Damascus and has already met with the de facto leader of Syria, Ahmed al-Sharaa (MFA of Ukraine)

Statements from representatives of the Ukrainian and Syrian governments have already been made.

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha:

• I conveyed a message of support from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Abu Muhammad al-Joulani.
• We aim to cooperate with the Syrian administration in several areas.
• We will send more shipments of food aid to Syria.
• We promised to support food security and we are fulfilling our promise in a short time. Tomorrow, more than two dozen trucks will arrive in Syria to deliver 500 tons of Ukrainian flour as part of the Grain from Ukraine humanitarian program. In total, we are ready to deliver many times more.
• Russia exported bombs, death, and destruction to Syria. Ukraine exports flour, guarantees of life, and recovery.
• We are ready and waiting for the Syrian side to take steps. Restoring diplomatic presence will allow us to increase trade and cooperation in science and technology, culture and education.
• Today I announced that we are ready to resume the education of Syrian students in Ukraine.
• When we in Ukraine saw the horrific footage from the Sednaya prison, we immediately recalled the torture chambers on the territories of Ukraine liberated from Russian occupation. Ukraine is ready to share its experience in collecting evidence, investigating, and working to bring war criminals to justice for their crimes.
• This is the first visit of an official delegation of Ukraine to Syria in many years. It demonstrates a willingness to open a new page in bilateral relations with Syria.
• We are talking about the possible creation of joint ventures, the establishment of industrial and food production, the exchange of technologies, and cooperation in the areas of cybersecurity and information protection.
• We want to see a larger share of Syrian goods in our imports.

Syrian Foreign Minister Assad Hassan al-Shaybani:

• There will be a strategic partnership between us and Ukraine at the political, economic, and social levels.

Zelenskyy makes a statement about the visit

He confirmed that, on his instructions, Sybiha and Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Vitaliy Koval visited Damascus. The Ukrainian delegation held important talks with the Syrian administration, leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, and ministers.

“We support the Syrian people in overcoming decades of dictatorial rule and restoring stability, security, and normal life in Syria. As we promised, the first 500 tonnes of Ukrainian wheat flour are planned to arrive tomorrow,” President Zelenskyy wrote on X.

He added that new deliveries would follow, as well as deepening mutually beneficial cooperation in many areas.

“We truly value the chance to restore normal and stable life in Syria and stand ready to develop long-term, strategic relations. I anticipate ministers Sybiha and Koval to provide me with their reports on the visit’s results upon their return to Ukraine,” Zelenskyy summarized.

Ukraine-Syria relations

Diplomatic relations between Ukraine and Syria were first established in 1992 but severed in 2022 following the Syrian government's recognition of the so-called "independence" of the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) and the Luhansk People's Republic (LPR).

However, after the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime due to the rebels' offensive in Syria, there has been talk in Ukraine about the possibility of resuming diplomatic relations with Syria.

As recently stated by Heorhii Tykhyi, Spokesperson for the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ukraine has made contact with the new Syrian government and is ready to restore diplomatic relations. In particular, if the new government changes the decision made by Assad's regime, which recognized the violation of Ukraine's territorial integrity.

For more about the events in Syria and what to expect next, read our material on the topic.