Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha met with Syria’s acting leader Ahmed al-Sharaa in Damascus, marking a potential diplomatic reset between the two nations.
On 8 December 2024, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad fled Damascus and found asylum in Russia amid a rapid offensive by opposition forces.
With the fall of the regime, Russia has begun a large-scale withdrawal of military personnel and equipment from Syria, described as a “strategic defeat for Russia.” Since its military intervention in 2015, Russia has been a crucial ally of al-Assad, providing military support to help him maintain power during the Syrian Civil War.
Ukraine severed ties with Syria in 2022 following Assad’s recognition of Russian territorial claims in eastern Ukraine.
During the meeting, Sybiha delivered a message from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Syrian people, offering support for Syria’s stability and food security.
“We rely on the new Syria respecting international law, including Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. This will pave the way to fully restoring our diplomatic ties, political dialogue, and diplomatic presence,” Sybiha wrote.
The diplomatic engagement follows Ukraine’s recent humanitarian aid of 500 tons of wheat flour to Syria through the Grain from Ukraine program.
The wheat flour is scheduled to be distributed to 33,250 families, about 167,000 people, over the coming weeks, with each ration weighing 15 kilograms, enough to feed a family of five for a month, according to Syria TV.
However, tensions remain over allegations published in The Washington Post that Ukrainian forces provided military assistance to the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham rebel group in their efforts against President Bashar al-Assad’s regime – claims that President Zelenskyy has denied.
Obeida Arnaout, a spokesperson for the Syrian government, emphasized that Russia should engage with the new administration to demonstrate goodwill towards the Syrian people and acknowledge that the era of the Assad regime is over.
As of summer 2024, Russia had approximately 6,000 to 7,500 military personnel in Syria, including private military contractors.
Ukrainian experts suggested that even if these troops are redeployed to Ukraine, they are unlikely to significantly impact the battlefield dynamics. Some of these forces might be redirected to Africa instead.
President Zelenskyy stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin is likely to seek retaliation following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria. He highlighted that Assad’s regime, which lasted for 24 years, was sustained through violence, including the use of prisons and torture chambers. He drew parallels between Assad’s methods and those employed by Russian forces in occupied territories.
Related:
- Assad’s fall makes a mockery of Putin
- Why toppling Assad in Syria wasn’t about gas or pipelines
- What Syria means for Ukraine
- The Washington Post: Ukraine helped Syrian rebels by supplying drones and providing ”other support”
