Syrian interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa arrived in Moscow on Wednesday for his second visit in less than four months, in meetings expected to focus on the future of Russia’s military presence in the country
Syrian interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa arrived in Moscow on Wednesday for his second visit in less than four months, in meetings expected to focus on the future of Russia’s military presence in the country, according to Associated Press.
Sharaa first visited Russia in October, shortly after leading a rapid rebel offensive in December 2024 that ousted former President Bashar Assad, a long-time Moscow ally during Syria’s devastating 14-year civil war.
Following Assad’s departure, Russia granted asylum to him and his family, while keeping only a small military contingent in Syria as its focus shifted to the fighting in Ukraine.
Despite their past opposition during the civil war, Sharaa’s interim government has signalled readiness to engage with Moscow, aiming to attract support for rebuilding war-shattered Syria and to diversify its foreign relations.
For Russia, maintaining its naval base in Tartus and the Hmeimim air base on Syria’s Mediterranean coast is a strategic priority, as these are the country’s only military outposts outside the former Soviet Union.
“I have no doubt that all issues related to the presence of our soldiers in Syria will also be discussed during today’s talks,” AFP quoted Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying ahead of Wednesday’s talks even as he declined to comment on Assad.
Sharaa is expected to meet President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, following a conciliatory tone set during their October meeting, the first since Sharaa’s forces toppled Assad.
Sharaa has repeatedly pressed Russia for the extradition of Assad and his wife, a sensitive point for Moscow, which continues to shelter them.
In recent days, Russian forces withdrew from positions in northeastern Syria held by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, leaving only the Hmeimim airbase and Tartus naval facility under its control. The pullback came after Kurdish forces lost most of their territory to Sharaa’s government offensive.
Sharaa has also courted the United States, with President Donald Trump on Tuesday calling him “highly respected” and saying that “things were working out very well.”
Russia’s loss of influence following Assad’s ouster has highlighted the limits of Moscow’s military reach amid the ongoing war in Ukraine, even as Sharaa balances ties with both Russia and the West.
The talks in Moscow are widely seen as a test of whether Russia can secure continued access to its Mediterranean bases while navigating the new political landscape in Syria.
With inputs from agencies
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