Ukraine: Syria's future should be decided by Syrians only

Ukraine has said the right to determine Syria's future should belong exclusively to the Syrian people, as 61 years of Baath Party rule in the country collapsed over the weekend when the capital Damascus was captured by anti-regime groups.

"We are convinced that the right to determine the course of further development and restoration of the country should belong exclusively to the Syrians themselves, who deserve to live in a free, democratic and legal state," said a statement by the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry on Sunday.

Expressing that the Syrian people can now turn the "black page" of the Assad family's rule in the country following the regime's collapse, the statement said the Assad regime has "neglected the interests of its own people to maintain power for decades."

The statement further said the main goal now is to "restore security in Syria and effectively protect its people from violence," citing a separate statement from Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha on X.

"All efforts must be made to stabilize the region and ensure inclusive political dialogue in Syria for the sake of effectively functioning state institutions," it also said, adding that it is important that the Syrian people maintain the "unity and integrity of their state."

It went on to call on future Syrian authorities to reconsider Damascus' ties with Russia.

It added that Kyiv hopes Syria will respect its territorial integrity and sovereignty, paving the way for the restoration of bilateral ties and political dialogue between the two countries, which were severed back in 2022.

After a period of relative calm, clashes between Assad regime forces and anti-regime groups reignited on Nov. 27 in rural areas west of Aleppo, a major city in northern Syria.

Over 10 days, opposition forces launched a lightning offensive, capturing key cities and then, on Sunday, the capital Damascus. The rapid advance, supported by defecting military units, led to the collapse of the Assad regime after 13 years of civil war.

Assad and his family fled to Moscow where Russia granted them asylum, according to the state news agency Tass.