Ukraine and Syria on Sunday agreed to reopen embassies in Kyiv and Damascus in the "near future," the Ukrainian foreign minister said on Sunday.
Andrii Sybiha said he held talks in Damascus with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani to discuss security, logistics, trade, and food security.
He underlined that trade between Ukraine and Syria has increased nine times since the signing of a joint communique on restoring diplomatic relations in Sept. 2025, saying Kyiv sees opportunities to expand this further.
The two agreed to continue working together to advance a "lasting peace" for the Ukrainian and Syrian peoples, Sybiha said.
"The security of Europe and the Middle East is interlinked," he wrote on US social media company X.
The two ministers also addressed logistics, including the development of trade and maritime routes, "with strong potential to deepen economic cooperation," he added.
"Food security remains an important track. Ukraine stands ready to contribute, including through initiatives such as Grain from Ukraine, to support stability in the region," he added.
The minister discussed humanitarian and educational cooperation, Sybiha said, adding that many Syrian students have studied and continue to study in Ukraine, which is a "strong foundation we intend to build on."
Separately, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday met with his Syrian counterpart, Ahmad al-Sharaa, during his first visit to Damascus.
The two agreed to collaborate to provide "greater" security and more opportunities for development in Ukrainian and Syrian societies, Zelenskyy wrote on X.
Zelenskyy said he discussed the situation in the region with al-Sharaa, the circumstances of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, as well as Ukraine's role as a reliable food supplier and joint opportunities to strengthen regional food security.
"We understand very well the energy and infrastructure challenges Syria is currently facing. We are ready to work together to expand opportunities for both our countries and their people," he concluded.
Ukraine severed relations with Syria after the latter recognized the Russian breakaway republics of Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine in 2022, while Bashar al-Assad was in power.
