Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha led a high-level delegation to Damascus on December 30 for talks with Syria's new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, official Syrian media reported.

The Ukrainians pledged strategic cooperation and humanitarian assistance as Ukraine moves to establish relations with Syria's new administration following the collapse of the previous Assad regime on December 8.

The delegation, which included Ukraine's agriculture minister and a presidential special representative, discussed wide-ranging partnerships in political, economic and social spheres.

Ukraine committed to delivering 20 shipments of flour and additional food aid to address Syria's immediate humanitarian needs.

"We will send more food aid shipments to Syria," Sybiha said after the meetings, while Syria's new foreign minister indicated plans for a "strategic partnership with Ukraine at various levels, including political, economic and social."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has outlined a strategy to support Syria's stabilisation, emphasising the importance of removing Russian military presence from Syrian territory, which he described as detrimental to regional security.

Following the meeting, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov struck a more cautious tone, saying Russia was "closely monitoring" developments in Syria while warning against "drawing far-reaching conclusions about unfolding events." Lavrov noted that former President Bashar al-Assad had struggled with social challenges, partly due to US actions.

The diplomatic developments come as Russia continues to have a military presence in the northern port city of Tartus. The country has been gradually pulling its troops out of the country, but has struggled as a transporter ship headed for the port sank in the Mediterranean Sea.

Fourteen crew members were rescued and taken to the Spanish port of Cartagena, while two remain missing. The incident occurred as the vessel passed between Oran, Algeria, and Aguilas, Spain. Unverified video footage showed the ship listing heavily on December 23 before its reported sinking.