Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Syria today, Sunday, on an official visit, in a significant step toward restoring diplomatic relations between the two countries after years of severed ties under the former regime and its alliance with Russia.
He was received upon arrival at Damascus International Airport by Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani.
The visit follows a joint statement signed by Damascus and Kyiv last September to resume bilateral relations. The statement came after a meeting between Presidents Ahmed al-Sharaa and Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, signaling a mutual desire to resume political and diplomatic engagement.
In the same context, al-Shibani also received Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, who arrived in Damascus on an official visit at the same time as Zelenskyy, paving the way for a trilateral meeting bringing together the three sides to discuss regional and international issues.
Al-Shibani had held a phone call with his Turkish counterpart late last month to discuss bilateral relations, regional developments, and security and military developments. Both sides stressed the importance of strengthening political and diplomatic coordination in ways that would help achieve stability.
Reconstruction and security in Syria
According to Turkey’s Anadolu Agency, Fidan is expected to meet both al-Sharaa and Zelenskyy in a trilateral meeting to discuss several issues, most notably Syria’s reconstruction projects and international and regional efforts to support Syrian state institutions and strengthen their capacity.
The talks will also include, according to the agency, an assessment of threats facing Syrian security and a discussion of progress on integrating northeastern Syria into Syrian state institutions, under the understandings signed on January 17 and 29. This remains one of the most prominent issues on the table in both domestic and regional discussions.
The meetings are also expected to address the impact of the war in the region on Syria, including economic and security challenges, in addition to developments in other regional files, particularly the situation in Lebanon,
Syrian-Turkish relations have gained momentum in recent months, especially since the fall of the former regime in December 2024, with an increasing pace of official meetings and coordination on multiple files, reflecting a trend toward rebuilding relations on new foundations that serve shared interests.
Ankara has repeatedly affirmed its support for efforts aimed at reconstructing Syria and creating an environment conducive to restoring stability, through strengthened economic and security cooperation and the opening of new channels for coordination on regional issues.
Fidan’s last visit to Damascus was on December 22, 2025, accompanied by Turkish Defense Minister Yaşar Güler and intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin, as part of efforts to follow up on shared files and enhance coordination between the two sides, reflecting Turkey’s continued engagement in Syrian affairs at both the political and security levels.
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