Syrian president visits Moscow for second time in under four months

Relations between the two countries “continue to progress,” according to Vladimir Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin met his Syrian counterpart Ahmed al-Sharaa on Wednesday to discuss Syria’s reconstruction, bilateral cooperation, and Moscow’s role in the country. This was Al-Sharaa’s second visit to the Russian capital in less than four months.

Al-Sharaa, who once led the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), rose to power in late 2024 following the fall of Bashar Assad’s government. The deposed Syrian leader fled to Russia, where he was granted asylum, and has since been living in Moscow with his family.

Moscow has remained engaged with the new Syrian leadership and has maintained its military presence at the Khmeimim airbase and the Tartus naval facility in Syria.

During the meeting, Putin said diplomatic ties between Russia and Syria have always been friendly and thanked al-Sharaa for helping to further develop them. The Russian president also noted that the trade volume between the two nations has grown by 4% since the previous meeting between the two presidents in October.

“While this is perhaps not as ambitious as we might have wished, it’s a positive step nonetheless, and it is a trend we should keep going. We continue to work actively to develop our partnership across all areas,” he said.

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Moscow and Damascus plan to cooperate in a wide range of fields, including healthcare, construction, industry, and sports, according to the Russian president. Russian construction companies and businesses are ready to work jointly with their Syrian partners on the Middle Eastern nation’s reconstruction, Putin said.

The Russian president also welcomed Damascus’ efforts to restore Syria’s territorial integrity and congratulated al-Sharaa on reestablishing government control over the territories east of the Euphrates River.

Al-Sharaa thanked Putin for Russia’s efforts to stabilize the situation in Syria and the Middle East, adding that Moscow plays a major role in the region. He also said Moscow and Damascus had many issues on the agenda and expressed hope that the talks would be fruitful.

The new Syrian government, which has been struggling to revive the economy and rein in sectarian violence since taking over, has also sought to rebuild diplomatic relations with a range of foreign nations, including the US. In December, Al-Sharaa visited Washington for talks with President Donald Trump, who said he was “very satisfied” with Syria’s new leadership.