Arab News Japan

TOKYO: Ukraine is strengthening its relationship with Syria and assisted in the downfall of former President Bashaar Assad, Japan’s Mainichi newspaper reports.

It said that Ukraine sent drones to support the overthrow of the Assad regime and has beenp sending grain to Syria as humanitarian aid. 

But while Ukraine aims to weaken the influence of Russia in the country, the Syrian interim government has shown a certain degree of consideration for Russia.

Syria’s interim government leadership has described Russia as “the second most powerful country in the world” and said, “We do not want Russia to withdraw in a way that damages Syria-Russia relations.”

Russia assisted Assad in fighting off rebel armies and it has a military base in western Syria. Russia was also granted a 49-year lease on the Hmeimim Air Base, in addition to a supply base for the Russian Navy, which it has had since the Soviet era. 

On December 30, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha visited the Syrian capital Damascus and met with the interim government’s Foreign Minister Asaad Shaybani. Shaybani said that “a strategic partnership will be built” between the two countries. 

Sybiha said that “the Syrian and Ukrainian people have had the same experience.” He advised Ukraine to distance itself from Russia.

Reports said that Ukraine sent about 150 drones and 20 pilots to the Syrian opposition about four to five weeks ago. On December 27, President Zelensky announced that he had sent 500 tons of Ukrainian flour to Syria in cooperation with the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP).