Ukraine and Syria have signed a joint communiqué on the restoration of diplomatic relations, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky announced.
The official signing took place on the sidelines of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly in New York, with Zelensky and Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, who is currently serving as head of state during the transitional period, in attendance.

In his statement, Zelensky noted that talks with his Syrian counterpart covered prospective areas of bilateral cooperation, security issues, and the need for a joint response to emerging threats. He also emphasized that both sides agreed to build relations based on “mutual respect and trust”.

Diplomatic ties between Ukraine and Syria were severed in June 2022, when Damascus recognized the so-called “independence” of the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine’s Donetsk and Luhansk regions. After the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December 2024, Ukraine began diplomatic contacts with Syria’s new leadership, expressing readiness to restore cooperation.

The two sides are expected to discuss the following key areas of cooperation:

- economic and trade interaction;

- humanitarian aid (particularly food supplies);

- joint efforts to counter security threats and terrorism.

The international community also views this step as part of broader geopolitical shifts in the region.

For Ukraine, this move is not just about re-establishing formal ties, but also an attempt to build relations within a new regional context. The fall of the previous regime in Syria offers Kyiv an opportunity to cooperate with those who may also be interested in reducing Russia’s influence and ensuring greater independence.

On the other hand, restoring diplomatic relations with Syria carries risks, since the country remains complex: political instability, questions of the new leadership’s legitimacy, and the influence of external actors persist.

Nevertheless, from a practical perspective, this step could open pathways for Ukraine to new markets, humanitarian channels, and more flexible diplomatic positioning in the Middle East.

#SYRIA

#UKRAINE

25.09.2025 08:08