Ukraine sends food aid to Syria, says Zelensky

KYIV - Ukraine, a global producer and exporter of grain and oilseeds, has sent its first batch of food aid to Syria, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Dec 27.

Mr Zelensky said 500 tonnes of wheat flour were already on the way to Syria as part of Ukraine’s humanitarian “Grain from Ukraine” initiative, in cooperation with the UN World Food Programme.

“The wheat flour is planned to be distributed to 33,250 families or 167,000 people, in the coming weeks,” Mr Zelensky said on social media platform X, adding: “Each package weighs 15kg and can feed a family of five for one month.”

After the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad, a close Russian ally, Ukraine has said it wants to restore relations with Syria.

Kyiv traditionally exports wheat and corn to countries in the Middle East, but not to Syria.

During Mr Assad’s era, Syria imported food from Russia. But Russian wheat supplies to Syria

have been suspended

because of uncertainty, Russian and Syrian sources said earlier in December.

Ukraine’s exports were disrupted by Russia’s February 2022 invasion, which severely reduced shipments via the Black Sea.

Ukraine has since broken a de facto sea blockade and revived exports from its southern port of Odesa. REUTERS