Zelensky in Syria for the First Time to Enhance Cooperation and Food Security

SadaNews - Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara met with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky, who arrived in the capital Damascus today, Sunday, for his first official visit to the country, where he was welcomed at the People's Palace in the presence of a ministerial delegation from both countries, according to the Syrian presidency.

The Syrian presidency stated that the discussions focused on enhancing bilateral relations and economic cooperation, where both sides emphasized the importance of ensuring the security of food supply lines, contributing to strengthening stability amid international tensions, according to the same source.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan also participated in the meeting to discuss bilateral and regional issues concerning the three parties, according to sources in the Turkish Foreign Ministry.

The talks aimed to evaluate bilateral projects for the reconstruction of Syria, reviewing efforts made to support capacity building in the country, and discussing threats facing Syrian security.

The progress made in the January agreement between the government and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) aimed at ending the division in the country was also evaluated, as well as discussing the impact of the war in the region on Syria and assessing other regional issues, particularly the situation in Lebanon.

For his part, Zelensky said in a social media post following the meeting that they "discussed the situation in the region and the prospects for improvement, in addition to reviewing the conditions of the war that Russia is waging against Ukraine."

He added that "there is a significant interest in exchanging experiences in military and security fields," pointing out that the discussion also addressed the issue of food security and Ukraine's role as a supplier of foodstuffs.

Previously, the Ukrainian president visited Istanbul on Saturday, where he held discussions with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan regarding energy security and maritime security, as well as efforts to end the war with Russia that has been ongoing for over 4 years.

The outbreak of war in the Middle East following a U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran on February 28, has halted negotiations that were being mediated by the U.S. between Kyiv and Moscow, with Ukraine expressing concern that the continuation of the war might reduce military supplies from its allies, allowing Russia to bolster its budget by benefiting from rising oil and gas prices.

Since the outbreak of war, Kyiv has been promoting its experience in air defense against Iranian-made drones of the Shahed type, which Russia uses in its war on Ukraine, while Tehran currently uses them in its attacks on Gulf Arab states.

It is noteworthy that last September, Syria and Ukraine signed a joint statement to restore diplomatic relations between them, reflecting a shift in the relationship between the two countries after years of rupture and tensions following the outbreak of the Syrian crisis, which began with peaceful protests against the regime, as well as the Russian-Ukrainian war.

Former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had decided in July 2022 to sever diplomatic relations with Kyiv, in response to a similar decision from Ukraine, while the former Syrian regime took anti-Ukrainian positions in support of Russia, which has militarily backed it since 2015 against popular protests in the country at that time.

Source: Agencies