Zelenskyy said that 500 metric tonnes of wheat flour were already on their way to Syria as part of Ukraine’s humanitarian “Grain from Ukraine” initiative in cooperation with the UN World Food Programme.

“The wheat flour is planned to be distributed to 33,250 families or 167,000 people, in the coming weeks,” Zelenskyy said on X, adding: “Each package weighs 15 kg and can feed a family of five for one month.”

After the ouster of Bashar al-Assad, a close Russian ally, Ukraine has said it wants to restore relations with Syria.

Kyiv traditionally exports wheat and corn to countries in the Middle East, but not to Syria.

During Assad’s era, Syria imported food from Russia. But, Russian wheat supplies to Syria have been suspended because of uncertainty, Russian and Syrian sources said earlier this month.

Ukraine’s exports were disrupted by Russia’s Feb 2022 invasion, which severely reduced shipments via the Black Sea. Ukraine has since broken a de facto sea blockade and revived exports from its southern port of Odesa.