In his meeting with Syria's de facto leader Ahmad al-Sharaa in Damascus on Monday, Ukraine's foreign minister announced the delivery of a large shipment of wheat flour. This comes after the ouster of pro-Russia president Bashar al-Assad. Since the ouster of Assad's regime, Syria has gradually shifted away from Russian and Iranian influence, getting closer to the Western bloc and Gulf nations that had opposed Assad's rule.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Kyiv will send 500 tons of wheat flour to Syria through the UN World Food Programme. The assistance aims to help improve the country's food security amid the economic crisis. Notably, more than 90 per cent of Syrians live in poverty, while over half of the population is uncertain about where the next meal will come from.
Here's what Zelenskyy said
In a post on X, Zelenskyy said that the Ukrainian delegation had an important discussion with the Syrian leader, Ahmed Al-Sharaa, adding that Ukraine will support the Syrian population in 'overcoming decades of dictatorial rule', and that Kyiv will help restore 'stability, security, and normal life in the country.
Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said he hopes “that a new Syria would become a country that respects international law." He said Ukraine is ready to share its experience in gathering evidence and conducting investigations to hold war criminals accountable.
"The Russian and Assad regimes supported each other because their foundation is violence and torture,” he said.
Turkey to supply electricity to Syria
Turkey is also ready to export electricity to Syria and Lebanon to assist them in addressing power shortages, Turkey's energy minister said, adding that a Turkish delegation was already in Damascus to evaluate Syria's energy infrastructure.
Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar also said Monday that the Turkish delegation included experts who would be assessing how Syria's oil and natural gas could be used to improve the economy.
“We can see the picture a little more clearly after seeing the situation of the transmission network,” the state-run Anadolu Agency quoted Bayraktar as saying. He said Syria's electricity capacity had dropped significantly due to the civil war.
(With agency inputs)
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