On March 18, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky imposed sanctions against Syrian President Bashar Assad, a close ally of Russia.
In addition to President Assad, the sanctions targeted Syrian Prime Minister Hussein Arnous and Foreign Minister Faisal Miqdad. A document released by the Ukrainian Presidency clarifies that Assad and the two senior Syrian officials are now subject to the blocking of assets and a number of other measures.
The new sanctions included 300 individuals, mostly Russian citizens, and 141 legal entities, mainly research centers, factories, shipbuilding enterprises and aviation industry companies from Russia.
Ukrainian-Syrian relations began to deteriorate in 2016 when Damascus decided to recognize the Crimean Peninsula as a part of Russia. Two years later, Ukraine refused to revalidate residencies of Syrian diplomatic staff in Kiev.
Last year, President Zelensky said Kiev will cut ties after Syria recognized the Russian-backed Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic. Damascus immediately responded in kind.
The new Ukrainian sanctions came just a few days after Assad stressed Syria’s support for the Russian special military operation during a meeting with President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. Assad said that the Russian military was fighting “neo-Nazis” and “old Nazis” in Ukraine.
Damascus has not commented yet on Kiev’s step, which will not likely have any impact due to the absence of any economic or political interaction between Syria and Ukraine.
Source: South Front