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Relations between Syria and Ukraine have existed since 1992, except for a two-year period from 2022 to 2024 when they were severed following Syria's recognition of the Russian-occupied Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Relations were reestablished after the collapse of the Assad regime. The Ukrainian embassy in Lebanon currently protects Ukrainian interests in Syria.^[1]

History

Syria recognized the independence of Ukraine on 28 December 1991. The countries established diplomatic relations on 31 March 1992.^[2]

Ba'athist regime

With the start of the Syrian civil war in 2011, Ba'athist Syria became even closer politically to the Russian Federation. Due to Ba'athist Syria's recognition of the Russian occupation of Crimea in 2014, bilateral relations were frozen.^[2]^[3]^[4] Citing human rights violations by the government of Bashar al-Assad against Syrian civilians, Ukraine closed its embassy in Damascus in 2016, and in 2018, ordered the closure of the Syrian embassy in Kyiv.^[5]

On 29 June 2022, Ba'athist Syria recognized the independence of the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics,^[6] after which on 30 June 2022, Ukraine severed relations with Syria.^[7] Ba'athist Syria formally broke its diplomatic ties to Ukraine on 20 July 2022, citing the principle of reciprocity.^[8]

Post-Ba'athist Syria

After the fall of the al-Assad regime in December 2024, Ukraine urged the international community to work together to support lasting peace in Syria and offered humanitarian aid through the Grain From Ukraine program.^[9]^[10] President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated he was ready to support the Syrian transitional government.^[11] Later that month, Zelenskyy confirmed that 500 metric tons of wheat flour had been sent to Syria as part of his country's humanitarian Grain From Ukraine program.^[12]

On 30 December 2024, Ukraine's top diplomat met with Syria's de facto leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, in Damascus.^[13]^[14]^[15] The high-level Ukrainian delegation included Ukraine's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Andrii Sybiha, the Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food, Vitaliy Koval, and the Special Representative of the President of Ukraine.^[16] Later that day, Ukraine opened an honorary consulate in Damascus.^[17] Sybiha led the flag-raising ceremony alongside Honorary Consul General Tamer Al-Tounsi, a Ukrainian-Syrian entrepreneur, and members of the Ukrainian community, whom he thanked for preserving the Ukrainian language and culture.^[18]

During the meeting, Syria's newly appointed Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaybani expressed interest in building "strategic partnerships"^[19] with Ukraine, emphasizing mutual sovereignty and diplomatic representation. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Sybiha discussed the potential for strengthening Ukrainian-Syrian relations and Ukraine’s role in Syria’s food security despite the ongoing conflict with Russia.^[20] Sybiha also criticized the Russian and Assad regimes, stating that the removal of Russian forces from Syria would contribute to stability in the Middle East and Africa.^[21]^[19] In a related statement, Syria's al-Sharaa acknowledged the country's strategic ties with Russia, citing Russian-supplied arms and expertise in infrastructure, and opposed any calls for a complete Russian withdrawal.^[22]