Syria’s Mekdad to Al-Ahed: US Wants to Prolong the War in Ukraine

By Al-Ahed News

In a recent exchange with Damascus University students, Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad justified the political and military measures taken by Russia to protect its national security and prevent Western expansion into its back yard.

Mekdad told the Syrian students that Damascus stood firmly with its allies who supported it and respected the sovereignty of its land. His stance can be described as a full adoption of Moscow's strategic actions.

In response to a question by Al-Ahed News during the seminar, Mekdad articulated his full understanding of the political, military, and other measures taken by the Russian Federation in order to preserve its national dignity and sovereignty on its territory and protect its national security.

He spoke about the desire of "Russian friends" in not prolonging this war, which was "imposed on them," noting that Syria shares these same desires.

“If something like this happened [prolonging the war], then the moral responsibility rests with Washington and the rest of the Western capitals that push towards destroying the capabilities of countries and their infrastructure and committing crimes against individuals and peoples, as well as destroying the economy of countries that are trying to stand in the face of this hegemony,” Mekdad said.

The Syrian Foreign Minister indicated that if there is a US military presence in Ukraine, as is the case in Syria, “the act of resistance must be practiced.”

Mekdad explained that “The goal is to prolong the terrorist war against Syria, target the Syrian people in Hasaka and Al-Jazeera, and steal Syrian resources and bounties through the support provided to the SDF terrorist groups. This is the purpose, and the same can be said for the Turkish occupation.”

He said the destiny of peoples lies in confronting the occupiers. “We all have to confront, and this is our destiny, we and our Russian friends."

The symposium, held by the Executive Office of the National Union of Syrian Students, was titled “From the Ukrainian Gateway to Correcting History and Restoring International Balance: A Reading of Future Situations on Syria and its Role in Facing Challenges.”

The Syrian Foreign Minister said “Syria is one of the countries that has experience in dealing with Western hypocrisy, and its quest to combine the slogans of freedom and human rights with the practices of occupation, aggression, the threat of force, the exploitation of terrorism, the economic siege, and the imposition of political influence on countries and their governments in order to spread chaos and threaten peace and security to achieve economic, security, and military interests.”

Regarding Syria's position on what is happening in Ukraine, Mekdad affirmed Syria's support for “friends and allies in Russia and its keenness to strengthen relations with those who respect its sovereignty and independence and provide it with political, economic, and military support in facing the ‘Israeli’ occupation.”