Ukraine’s Zelensky announces humanitarian aid for Syria
Ukrainian president aims to supply food to Syria in the aftermath of the fall of Bashar al-Assad
Ukraine is ready to provide humanitarian aid to Syria, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his evening video address on Sunday.
In coordination with his government, Zelensky said food from the “Grain from Ukraine” programme could be used to help the Syrian population.
“Now we can help the Syrians with Ukrainian wheat, flour and our oil – our products that are used worldwide to ensure food security,” Zelensky said.
Specifically, he said, the logistics need to be agreed upon with representatives from Syria. “We will definitely support this region so that peace there can become a cornerstone for our movement towards genuine peace,” Zelensky said.
The humanitarian programme, initiated in 2022, stipulates that donor countries and other organisations buy agricultural products directly from Ukrainian producers and send them to countries in need, primarily in Africa and Asia.
The recently ousted, long-standing ruler of Syria, Bashar al-Assad, was considered a protégé of Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin, who granted him asylum in Russia. Meanwhile, the future of the Russian military bases in Syria remains unclear.
