ISTANBUL
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday said his country is preparing to renew its diplomatic relations and cooperation with Syria, as its top diplomat visited Damascus late last month.
On Dec. 30, a high-level Ukrainian delegation led by Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha visited Damascus, where he held talks with Ahmed al-Sharaa, leader of Syria’s new administration.
The delegation later visited Beirut, and met Lebanese government officials.
“This year, we may add more countries to our reliable partners, particularly Syria. We are preparing to renew our diplomatic relations with Syria and our cooperation within international organizations,” Zelenskyy said in a video statement after being briefed by Sybiha and Agriculture Minister Vitaliy Koval on the results of their tour.
Zelenskyy said the visit of the Ukrainian delegation will also lead to increased trade with Lebanon, where he said Ukrainian agricultural exports alone amount to $400 million.
“We are preparing to at least double that amount,” the Ukrainian president said, adding that 2025 will also bring Kyiv more active engagement with African countries.
“Each such new partnership means greater opportunities for our diplomacy and greater opportunities for our economy. I have instructed the foreign minister to prepare some of our specific agreements with African countries,” he added.
In a separate post, Zelenskyy, after meeting Sybiha and Koval, said Ukraine will support “all efforts to stabilize Syria.”
“We will set up the ‘Grain from Ukraine’ program to cooperate with the Syrian administration and all interested partners. We will engage with the Europeans and America to ensure maximum support. More stability in the Middle East means more peace and trade for all partners,” he added.
Kyiv severed its ties with Damascus back in 2022, when the latter, under the regime of then-Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, recognized the “independence” of Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
