Syria’s interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa met Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin Wednesday for his first visit to Moscow. Putin emphasized the historic Russia-Damascus ties and expressed hope for their expansion, signaling Moscow’s intent to work closely with Syria’s new leadership.
Moscow continues to maintain its air and naval bases along the Syrian coast, and the Kremlin has indicated interest in negotiating agreements to retain the outposts. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that the future of Russia’s bases was a key topic of discussion. Reports also suggest Russia has delivered oil shipments to Syria.
SANA, Syria’s state news agency, said al-Sharaa and Putin would review “regional and international developments of mutual interest and explore ways to develop cooperation to serve the common interests of both countries.”
The meetings follow a series of recent diplomatic exchanges, including Russian delegations visiting Damascus in January and September, and Syria’s Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani visiting Moscow in July.
