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Syrian rebel fighters celebrate at the Clock Tower in the heart of the central city of Homs early on Dec. 8, 2024, after rebel forces entered Syria's third city overnight. (Aaref Watad / AFP via Getty Images)
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Syria's new administration has banned all Russian, Iranian, and Israeli goods from entering the country in a new decree issued by the country's finance minister on Jan. 17.

Any relevant goods discovered at land and sea border crossings will be confiscated, according to the ban, reported regional media outlets.

The decision came shortly after the country had restricted entry of Iranian and Israeli passport holders.

Ukraine has moved quickly to restore ties with Syria after rebels overthrew the Russia-backed regime of former Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad on Dec. 8.

Under the previous regime, Russia had military bases in Syria that it used for operations in Africa and the Middle East.

Last month, Ukraine's foreign minister Andrii Sybiha visited Syria, marking the first official Ukrainian delegation to Syria in years. During the trip, he said he hoped to increase trade with Syria.

As the new Syrian government looks to establish itself and reset foreign relations with its former partners and adversaries, the trade ban may exacerbate tensions in the region and impact trade.

Putin is ‘destroying Russia by not making a deal’ to end war, Trump says
“He should make a deal. I think he’s destroying Russia by not making a deal,” U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters following his inauguration, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported.

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Lithuanian FM on Europe's role in ending Russia's war.

The Kyiv Independent’s Francis Farrell sat down with Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys during his visit to Kyiv on April 1 to discuss the future of Europe during U.S. President Donald Trump's administration, whether European sanctions remain an effective instrument to stop Russia’s war against Ukraine, and Lithuania's contribution to the "coalition of the willing."
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Russian Railways hit by major cyberattack.

The state-owned Russian railway operator described the incident as a "massive DDoS (distributed denial-of-service) attack," saying that efforts to restore operations are underway.
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