Ukrainian diplomatic ties to Syria trace back 100 years — Ukraine’s foreign minister

During Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha's visit to Damascus, it was revealed that this is not the first instance of Ukrainian diplomatic presence in Syria. Historical records indicate that in 1923, the Ukrainian People's Republic (UNR) established an honorary consulate in the Syrian capital.

Rubryka reports, citing a Facebook post by Foreign Minister Sybiha.

Earlier this week, Sybiha, as part of a delegation, visited Damascus, where the Ukrainian flag was raised over Ukraine's honorary consulate. During the visit, plans to restore diplomatic relations with Syria were also discussed.

Sybiha later shared that a century ago, the UNR had already established a consulate in Damascus. Oleksii Boholiubskyi, a Kyiv native and teacher who had emigrated to Syria (then under French protectorate), was appointed honorary consul on May 8, 1923.

"It was 1923. The UNR government, though in exile, continued to provide consular services to its citizens abroad. Oleksii Boholiubskyi became the UNR's honorary consul in Damascus and Syria at that time," Sybiha noted.

He added, "It is fascinating that even then, Ukrainian diplomacy utilized the effective institution of honorary consuls. The regulations for this institution were developed during the Ukrainian State era and implemented during the Directory."

The responsibilities of the UNR honorary consul in Syria included:

1. Protecting and assisting UNR citizens.
2. Fostering Ukrainian patriotism within the diaspora.
3. Conducting informational and explanatory work about Ukraine.
4. Assessing the needs of the Ukrainian community and reporting them to the UNR government.
5. Uniting Ukrainians and preserving their national identity.
6. Exercising caution in interactions with Russians, given the history of conflicts between Ukraine and Russia.

"The archives show that even in distant Syria, we are not building our presence from scratch," Sybiha emphasized. "Our state did not simply emerge on the political map of the world in 1991, contrary to Russian propaganda. The history of Ukraine and Ukrainian diplomacy spans centuries, rooted in the Princely era, the Cossacks, the UNR, and continuing to the present day."