France, April 6 -- Zelensky arrived in the Syrian capital on Sunday alongside Turkey's foreign minister, Hakan Fidan, following a stop over in Turkey the previous day and a wider Gulf tour last week. The trip comes at a moment of heightened regional tension, with the war in the Middle East complicating Ukraine's already urgent defence needs.

In a post on X, Zelensky said he and Sharaa had discussed "the circumstances of Russia's war against Ukraine", adding that he was grateful for Syria's support and noting "strong interest in exchanging military and security experience".

He also pointed to economic cooperation, highlighting Ukraine's role as a dependable food exporter and exploring "joint opportunities to strengthen food security acro...