After Damascus acknowledged the independence of Ukraine’s two separatist republics, the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, made the announcement that relations would be severed with Syria.

In a video posted on Telegram, Zelensky was quoted as saying, “There will no longer be any contacts between Ukraine and Syria.”

Earlier on Wednesday, the Syrian state news agency SANA quoted an official from the country’s foreign ministry as saying: “Syria has decided to recognise the independence and sovereignty of both the Lugansk People’s Republic and the Donetsk People’s Republic.” [Citation needed]

The official went on to say that “we will talk with both nations in order to agree on frameworks for enhancing ties, including the establishment of diplomatic relations in line with existing procedures.”

Before beginning its invasion of Ukraine, Russia acknowledged the independence of the two separatist entities that were a part of Ukraine: Donetsk and Lugansk.

Since 2014, the two self-proclaimed states have been independent of Kyiv’s jurisdiction.