Ukraine severing diplomatic relations with Syria, to keep consular relations - Foreign Ministry

MOSCOW. June 30 (Interfax) - The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has announced the severance of diplomatic relations between Ukraine and the Syrian Arab Republic in response to the latter's decision to recognize the independence of the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR).

"The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry strongly denounces the Syrian Arab Republic's decision," Ukrainian media reported with reference to the Foreign Ministry's statement on Thursday.

"In response to this unfriendly act, Ukraine declares the severance of diplomatic relations with Syria, without severing consular relations, in line with Article 2 of the 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations," it said.

Kyiv views Damascus's decision as "an unfriendly act with regard to Ukraine, infringing upon its sovereignty and territorial integrity and blatantly violating Ukrainian law, the UN Charter, and fundamental norms and principles of international law," it said.

Apart from severing diplomatic relations with Syria, Ukraine has also launched the procedure of imposing a trade embargo on that country and other sanctions on Syrian legal entities and private individuals, it said.

"Our position is clear: we give as tough a response as possible to any attempts to undermine Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity and will defend our national interests using any available methods, including on the diplomatic front," Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said.

Ukraine shut down its embassy in Damascus back in 2016 and ordered that the Syrian embassy in Kyiv be closed in 2018. The Ukrainian embassy to Lebanon is currently responsible for protecting the interests of Ukrainians in Syria, the ministry said.