Zelensky: 'Ukraine Will Support All Efforts to Stabilize Syria'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed interest on Thursday in growing ties with Syria following the collapse of the Russia-friendly regime of deposed dictator Bashar Assad, stating that Kyiv would “support all efforts to stabilize” the country.

Syria is currently under the control of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a jihadist terror organization. HTS, which emerged as an offshoot of al-Qaeda, is one of several militias that fought the Assad regime during the decade-long Syrian Civil War – and ultimately emerged the victor in December. After years of stalemate in the war, HTS took advantage of the deterioration of Iran’s terror proxy network as a result of the war between Israel and Hamas to stage a surprise attack on Aleppo in late November that resulted in Assad fleeing the country two weeks later. Assad is believed to currently be in Moscow, where the Russian government offered him political asylum.

Ukraine did not maintain any meaningful diplomatic relationship with Bashar Assad’s Syria, but Zelensky suggested this week that this could change with the new HTS regime, even as it transitions from being a terrorist organization to a state entity.

“It would be the right step to restore our diplomatic relations and economic cooperation with Syria,” Zelensky said in remarks on Monday. “And I really hope that post-Assad Syria will respect international law – something Assad couldn’t and didn’t want to do.”

Zelensky was addressing the Ukrainian public regarding his decision to send a delegation to Syria. Kyiv has especially emphasized the potential for jihadist-ruled Syria to become a major buyer of Ukrainian grain and other goods that keep its economy afloat.

“I would also like to thank Ukraine’s Foreign Affairs Ministry team and the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food for organizing our delegation’s visit to Damascus – to the new Syria,” Zelensky said on Monday. “I look forward to receiving reports from the ministers on the negotiations and the initial results. This demonstrates Ukraine’s leadership and agility in foreign policy – qualities that can deliver the positive outcomes we need.”

Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and Agriculture Minister Vitalii Koval remained for much of the week in Damascus, meeting with high-level HTS officials and discussing potential economy cooperation. On Thursday, Zelensky published a message on social media in which he suggested that Ukraine could expand its grain exports to ensure food security for much of Syria, devastated by over a decade of war and now under the control of a group sanctioned by much of the free world, including America, for being a terrorist organization.

“I received a report from the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Agrarian Policy of Ukraine regarding their visit to Syria. The outcomes of the Damascus talks, along with security and economic prospects,” Zelensky said on Thursday, according to the state outlet Ukrinform. “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 affirmed.

Ukrinform observed that Zelensky had already suggested an expansion of “Grain from Ukraine,” the state’s mass export program, and promised 500 tonnes of Ukrainian wheat flour to the country.

Koval, the agrarian minister, independent stated following his return from Damascus that, beyond wheat, his government feels confident that it could meet a significant percentage of Syria’s food demands, assuming that HTS would be comfortable dealing with Ukraine, a nation with a democratically elected Jewish president.

“Today, I delivered a report to the President of Ukraine. We were tasked with transforming our program to support the Syrian people into a long-term initiative,” Koval said on Friday. “The goal is to create a predictable and stable food supply system in collaboration with international partners. As a country enduring war, we understand the critical importance of ensuring food security.”

Koval said Syria was interested in importing Ukrainian “wheat, flour, oil, sugar, and meat products, particularly chicken and cattle,” according to Ukrinform.

HTS officials, including leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, have not publicly expressed any negative sentiments towards Zelensky or Ukraine at press time. Sharaa has also not stated any desire to completely sever ties with Russia despite Moscow’s longstanding military support for Assad against his militia. On the contrary, Sharaa suggested in an interview with the Saudi news agency al-Arabiya last week that Russia could have a role to play in the future of Syria under his rule.

“We don’t want Russia to exit Syria in a way that undermines its relationship with our country,” Sharaa said. “All of Syria’s arms are of Russian origin, and many power plants are managed by Russian experts. … We do not want Russia to leave Syria in the way that some wish.”

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