A tripartite meeting in Damascus brought Syria, Ukraine and Turkey together April 5, with leaders from the three countries placing security, food supply and infrastructure cooperation at the center of their talks. Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa received Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the People’s Palace, joined by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and ministerial delegations from both countries.
The meeting marked Zelensky’s first official visit to Damascus since Syria and Ukraine restored diplomatic ties last year. According to statements from both sides, the talks focused on strengthening bilateral relations between Damascus and Kyiv while expanding the trilateral coordination role Ankara has increasingly played in regional diplomacy.
Zelensky said the parties discussed “everything” from security and defense to energy and infrastructure cooperation, while also emphasizing Ukraine’s role as a reliable food supplier. Food security and the protection of trade and maritime routes emerged as key themes, reflecting wider concerns over regional instability and global supply chains.
Turkey Expands Its Mediating Role
Turkey’s presence lent the meeting regional weight. The Turkish Foreign Ministry confirmed that Fidan held talks with both Sharaa and Zelensky in Damascus, while also meeting separately with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha and Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani.
The trilateral framework allowed the three sides to connect bilateral priorities with wider international developments, including the fallout from tensions surrounding Iran, the future of reconstruction in Syria and coordination on logistics and maritime security.
Sybiha later described the meeting as an “important platform” for deeper cooperation, saying Europe’s and the Middle East’s security environments are increasingly interconnected. The Ukrainian side said protecting maritime routes and trade corridors was treated as a shared priority because of their importance to food flows and economic stability.
Diplomatic Reset Between Damascus and Kyiv
The Damascus meeting also underscored the continued thaw in Syrian-Ukrainian relations after years of estrangement tied to Assad’s former alignment with Russia. The two countries signed a joint statement in September 2025 restoring diplomatic relations and reopening channels for political and economic coordination.
Sunday’s talks pushed that reset into more practical territory, with both governments highlighting opportunities in energy, infrastructure and the exchange of security expertise. Zelensky said Kyiv is ready to help Syria address infrastructure and power-sector challenges, a message aligning with Ukraine’s broader push to expand strategic partnerships across the Middle East.
The meeting’s outcome suggests the three countries are moving beyond symbolic diplomacy toward a working agenda centered on reconstruction, supply-chain resilience and regional stability. As Syria navigates its transitional phase and Ukraine widens its diplomatic footprint, the Damascus talks signal a convergence of interests that could shape future cooperation across both the Middle East and the Black Sea region.
