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Marrakech – Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Wednesday in his first visit to Russia since taking office. The high-level meeting comes nearly a year after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December 2024, when the former Syrian strongman fled to Russia.
During the Kremlin meeting, Sharaa told Putin he wanted to “redefine” relations between the two countries. “We respect all previous agreements and this great history, and we are trying to restore and redefine in a new way the nature of these relations,” Sharaa said.
Putin praised the historic ties between Moscow and Damascus, expressing hope for their expansion. The Russian president stressed that cooperation between the two countries would bring “good results” and noted their strong relationship spans more than 80 years.
The Syrian delegation included Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani, Defense Minister Marhaf Abu Qasra, and other economic and military officials. According to SANA, Syria’s state news agency, the visit aims to reorganize bilateral relations and strengthen political and economic cooperation.
A key topic of discussion was the future of Russia’s military installations in Syria. The Kremlin confirmed that the fate of Russia’s two main bases – the Hmeimim air base in Latakia province and the naval facility in Tartous – was on the agenda. These bases were granted under open-ended leases by the Assad regime.
Sharaa’s government has already annulled several contracts that offered Russia sweeping privileges, insisting that any continued presence operate under full Syrian oversight. The Tartous naval base is Russia’s only port on the Mediterranean.
According to sources, Sharaa is expected to request the extradition of Assad to stand trial in Damascus for crimes committed against Syrians. In a recent interview with CBS News’ “60 Minutes,” Sharaa stated that Syrian authorities “will use all available legal means” to demand Assad’s trial.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said earlier that Moscow granted asylum to Assad on humanitarian grounds as “he and his family faced physical extermination.” Lavrov rejected speculation that the former Syrian president had recently been treated for poisoning.
‘A critical and historic turning point’
Reports indicate that Assad now lives in luxury in Moscow, occupying three apartments in a 1,000-foot skyscraper in the Moscow City district.
The 60-year-old former ruler reportedly spends his days playing video games in lavishly decorated accommodations featuring crystal chandeliers and gold-trimmed furnishings. He lives with his British wife Asma, who is battling leukemia, and their three children.
The meeting between Sharaa and Putin is particularly notable given the Syrian president’s roots in Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a faction that fought against Assad’s Russian-backed forces during the civil war. Russian aircraft had bombed HTS-held areas for years.
Despite having been on opposite sides during the civil war, the new rulers in Damascus have taken a pragmatic approach to relations with Moscow. Russia has maintained a presence at its bases on the Syrian coast, and the Kremlin has voiced hope for negotiating a deal to keep the outposts.
For the new Syrian government, maintaining ties with Russia is important for rebuilding the war-shattered country while diversifying its foreign policy. Sharaa is also expected to discuss “rearming the new Syrian army,” as much of Syria’s military equipment is Russian.
Putin noted that the joint committee between the two countries would resume its work, saying, “We are ready to complete several projects.” He also hailed Syria’s recent parliamentary elections as a “big success” that would strengthen ties between all political forces.
The visit follows a series of exchanges between Moscow and Damascus in recent months, including a trip by Syrian Foreign Minister al-Shibani to Moscow in July, when he described the relationship as entering “a critical and historic turning point.”
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