Ukrainian FM Sibiga Meets Syria‘s Effective Leader Al-Sharaa in Damascus
In a significant diplomatic move, a high-level Ukrainian delegation, led by Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrei Sibiga, is currently in Syria, having held talks with the de facto leader of the country, Ahmad al-Sharaa, in the capital city of Damascus.
Sources close to the matter report that the Ukrainian delegation comprises key figures, including the Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine and a presidential envoy.
During the visit, Sibiga delivered a personal message from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, expressing support for the Syrian people. "I am here to convey a clear message from President Zelenskyy: we stand with you and are ready to assist the Syrian people. Ukraine is committed to a stable Syria and developing mutually beneficial cooperation," said Sibiga.
This meeting comes amid a major shift in Syrian politics, with the regime of Bashar al-Assad collapsing after a 12-day offensive led by the Al Qaeda-linked Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group culminated in the capture of Damascus. Opposition leader Haitham Manna has since announced plans to form a civilian government, with Muhammad al-Bashir serving as the interim prime minister. Meanwhile, the ousted Assad family, including the former president, has found refuge in Moscow, with Russia extending its support.
This development follows a series of events, including President Zelenskyy’s directive on December 23 for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to establish necessary contacts with Syrian representatives to rectify past mistakes, and the shipment of 500 tons of Ukrainian wheat flour to Syria on December 27 as part of the ‘Grain from Ukraine’ humanitarian program.
The meeting between Sibiga and al-Sharaa signals a potentially new era of cooperation between Ukraine and Syria, as both nations look to rebuild and stabilize their respective nations. With strategic interests aligned, this diplomatic outreach could pave the way for further collaboration and support.