Ukraine and Syria show interest in sharing military experience as Zelenskyy makes first Damascus visit
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Damascus on 5 April for the first official visit by a Ukrainian president to Syria, meeting with President Ahmed al-Sharaa and agreeing to work together on security, food supply, and Syria's energy and infrastructure challenges, according to Zelenskyy's Telegram channel.
The visit caps a rapid diplomatic turnaround between the two countries that had no formal relations just over a year ago. Syria's previous government under Bashar al-Assad recognized Russia's claimed sovereignty over occupied Ukrainian territories in June 2022, prompting Kyiv to sever diplomatic ties and impose a trade embargo. Today's meeting with Syria's new leadership marks the deepest bilateral engagement since that break.
"We discussed the situation in the region and prospects for improving it. We also covered the circumstances of Russia's war against Ukraine, and I am grateful for the support. There is a great interest in exchanging military and security experience. I thank you for the words of respect for our people," Zelenskyy said.
The two presidents agreed to work together to give "more security and opportunities for development" to their societies, and discussed Ukraine's role as a reliable food supplier to the region. Zelenskyy also addressed Syria's energy and infrastructure challenges, saying Kyiv is "ready to work together so that the capabilities of our states and peoples grow."
In addition to the bilateral meetings between the presidents, a trilateral format was also held with Türkiye. The sides discussed prospects for developing relations across several areas, including security and trade cooperation.
From rupture to cooperation in sixteen months
The diplomatic thaw has moved quickly since former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad fled to Moscow in December 2024 following a rapid opposition offensive that ended his family's 50-year rule. Ukraine was among the first countries to re-engage with the new Syrian leadership: Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha visited Damascus days later, and Ukraine dispatched a first shipment of 500 tons of wheat flour to Syria through its Grain from Ukraine program.
Formal ties were restored at the UN General Assembly summit in September 2025, when the foreign ministers of both countries signed a joint communiqué formalizing the resumption of diplomatic relations in the presence of Zelenskyy and al-Sharaa.
Today's visit to Damascus is the first time a Ukrainian head of state has set foot on Syrian soil.
For Kyiv, the visit serves multiple purposes: deepening ties with a country whose new leadership shares a common adversary in Moscow, and cementing Ukraine's position as a food-security anchor for the Middle East — a role Russia sought to fill under Assad.
