Jakarta –
Government Syria announced on Wednesday (20/7/2022) that they are severing ties with Ukraine to support his close ally, Russia. Syria said the move was a response to a similar move by the Ukrainian government.
“The Syrian Arab Republic has decided to cut off diplomatic relations with Ukraine in accordance with the principle of reciprocity and in response to the decision of the Ukrainian government,” an unnamed Syrian Foreign Ministry official told Syria’s official news agency SANA. AFPWednesday (20/7/2022).
Previously, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has announced that he is severing ties with Syria at the end of last month. The severance came after Syria recognized the independence of the Russian-backed Republic of Donetsk and Lugansk in eastern Ukraine.
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“There will be no more contact between Ukraine and Syria,” Zelensky said at the time.
The breakaway states of Donetsk and Lugansk, which Moscow recognized independence in February, are located in the Donbas region. The area is now the focus of Russia’s offensive into Ukraine which began on February 24.
Syria is the first country besides Russia to recognize the independence of the two republics.
Syrian President’s Government Bashar al-Assadwhich relies heavily on Russian support in the country’s decade-long civil war, has also recognized two other Russian-sponsored breakaway republics in 2018.
The two republics, Abkhazia and South Ossetia are internationally recognized as part of Georgia, which gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. However, Russia and several other countries have recognized their independence.
Watch the video ‘Meeting Putin-Raisi, Erdogan asks for help against terrorists in Syria’:
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