Zelensky announces the resumption of relations between Ukraine and Syria after a 3-year hiatus

In a surprising move that has reshuffled diplomatic cards, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced yesterday evening, Wednesday, that his country and Syria have officially resumed diplomatic relations after a hiatus that lasted more than three years.

This announcement came after a meeting between Zelensky and Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly meetings in New York, marking the first such meeting in years.

Zelensky posted on his account on the "X" platform (formerly Twitter) saying:

"Ukraine and Syria signed a joint statement today regarding the resumption of diplomatic relations. We welcome this important step and affirm our readiness to support the Syrian people in their path towards stability."

"We discussed during our negotiations with Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara, promising sectors of cooperation and the common security threats facing our countries, and agreed on the importance of addressing them jointly."

He concluded by saying:

"We agreed to build our relations on the basis of mutual respect and trust."

Ukraine had severed its diplomatic relations with Syria in 2022, after the government of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad recognized what is known as the "independence" of large areas in eastern Ukraine, which had fallen under Russian control during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

This recognition was then considered a clear alignment with the Russian position, leading to the collapse of relations between Kyiv and Damascus.

Notably, this step came in the context of Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara's visit to New York, which was described in the media as "historic," following a Syrian diplomatic isolation that lasted more than 60 years from the Western political arena.

Observers expect this step to be the beginning of a shift in Syrian diplomatic orientations after a long period of regional and international isolation, especially in light of the regional changes and new geopolitical balances that have begun to take shape after years of war in Syria and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.