Ukraine and Syria Restore Diplomatic Ties After UN Meeting
NEW YORK – Ukraine and Syria have formally re-established diplomatic relations, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced September 25, following a meeting with Syrian counterpart Ahmed al-Sharaa at the UN General Assembly. The move marks a notable shift in relations after Kyiv severed ties in June 2022.
“Today Ukraine and Syria signed a Joint Communique on the restoration of diplomatic relations. We welcome this vital step and are ready to support the Syrian people on the path to stability,” Zelensky stated on Telegram. He added that discussions included opportunities for cooperation and shared security concerns, with both leaders agreeing to build a relationship “based on mutual respect and trust.”
The restoration of relations follows the overthrow of the Bashar al-Assad government in December 2024.Subsequently, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha visited Syria for talks with the country’s new leadership.
Kyiv initially cut ties with Damascus after the Assad regime recognized the Russian-occupied regions of Donetsk and Luhansk as “independent.”
Russia first deployed troops to Syria in 2015,backing the Assad regime during its conflict with anti-government forces. Russian forces operating in Syria faced accusations from the UN and other organizations of committing war crimes. following his government’s overthrow, Assad and his family sought exile in Moscow.
Al-Sharaa’s address to the UN General Assembly was a historic event, representing the first time a Syrian leader has attended the summit in six decades. Syria’s new UN ambassador, Ibrahim Olabi, described the return as a “ancient moment,” emphasizing a vision for a “new Syria” distinct from the previous regime.”The Assad regime was so much an enemy of the Syrian people, as much as an enemy of the international world,” Olabi told Al Jazeera.
The united states granted immediate sanctions relief to Syria in may 2024 after President Donald Trump called for a complete end to sanctions on the country,as announced by the U.S. Treasury Department and State Department on May 23.
