Russia suspends wheat supplies to Syria while Ukraine confirms readiness to supply grain instead

Russia has halted wheat supplies to Syria after the fall of the regime and the escape of its ousted president to Moscow, while Ukraine has announced its readiness to supply Damascus with grain.

According to a Russian source close to the government, Russia has halted its grain supplies, because exporters were concerned about the uncertainty over who would manage wheat imports in Syria after the political change in Damascus.

Russia, the world’s largest wheat exporter, has been a key backer of Bashar al Assad’s regime, which was toppled after opposition factions entered Damascus early Sunday.

The Russian source added, “I don’t think anyone would dare to send wheat to Syria under the current circumstances”.

He pointed out that two ships loaded with Russian wheat were on their way to Syria, but they didn’t arrive after the collapse of the regime.

For his part, Ukrainian Minister of Agriculture, Vitaliy Koval, confirmed his country’s full readiness to supply Syria with food after the fall of the Assad regime.

Ukraine, which is in a three-year war with Russia, is attracting global attention as one of the largest producers and exporters of grains and oil seeds.

These developments come at a very sensitive time, as the new Syrian government works to manage affairs and avoid any power vacuum after the fall of the regime.

Engineer Mohammed al-Bashir, who was the head of the Salvation Government in Idlib, has been tasked with forming a transitional government to run the country’s affairs until March 1.