Syria’s al-Sharaa moves to reset ties with Moscow after Assad’s fall
Ahmed al-Sharaa, Syria’s new president, has told Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, that he wants to “restore and redefine” relations with Moscow, a key ally of his ousted predecessor, Bashar al-Assad.
On his first visit to Russia since seizing power late last year, al-Sharaa assured Putin that his government would honour all previous agreements signed between Damascus and Moscow, in a clear signal that Russia’s two major military bases in Syria are safe.
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“There are bilateral relations and shared interests that bind us with Russia, and we respect all agreements made with it,” al-Sharaa said at the Kremlin on Wednesday. “We are working on redefining the nature of relations with Russia in a way that ensures Syria’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.”
Putin welcomed the remarks, saying Russia was ready to “act on the many interesting and useful beginnings” already discussed between the two governments.
The meeting marked a delicate moment in the long and complicated relationship between Moscow and Damascus. Russia had been Assad’s strongest backer during more than a decade of civil war, providing air power and weapons that helped him cling to power until his overthrow by rebel forces led by al-Sharaa in December last year.
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After Assad fled the country, Moscow granted him and his family asylum, and they now live quietly in the Russian capital. Al-Sharaa’s visit was therefore closely watched for signs of how he intends to balance Syria’s historical reliance on Russia with his own drive to project independence.
Alexander Novak, Russian deputy Prime Minister told Reuters that Moscow was willing to help rebuild Syria’s shattered infrastructure, including oil, rail and energy projects. “Russian companies have been working in Syria for a long time,” Novak told reporters. “There are oil fields that require development, those that are mothballed, and new fields. We are ready to participate.”
Ahead of the talks, the Kremlin said discussions would include the fate of Russia’s military installations in Syria, the Hmeimim airbase in Latakia province and the naval facility at Tartous — as well as Moscow’s smaller presence at Qamishli airport in the northeast.
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said earlier in the week that Syria wanted the Russian bases to remain and could use them as logistics hubs for delivering aid to Africa.
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However, Syrian officials privately told Reuters that Damascus wanted assurances Moscow would not rearm remnants of Assad’s loyalist forces. One Syrian source said al-Sharaa was also seeking Russian assistance to rebuild the national army under his new administration.
Two Syrian sources told Western media that al-Sharaa intended to formally request that Moscow hand over Assad to face trial for alleged crimes committed during his rule. There was no public mention of that issue during the televised portion of the meeting.
Russia is unlikely to agree to such a move. Lavrov said this week that Assad was granted refuge because his life had been under threat, and Moscow has long prided itself on protecting its allies abroad.
Beyond political and military matters, al-Sharaa is also seeking economic concessions — including renewed wheat supplies, help rebuilding war-damaged infrastructure, and compensation for losses suffered during the conflict. Syrian officials say he also hopes to secure Russian support in resisting Israeli pressure for an expanded demilitarised zone in southern Syria.
In a recent interview with CBS, al-Sharaa acknowledged Russia’s deep ties to Syria’s political and economic systems, saying Moscow’s role “relates to the basic structure of the state — to energy, food, and long-standing strategic interests.”
Putin, for his part, praised Syria’s recent parliamentary elections, the first since Assad’s overthrow, calling them a “great success” that would help consolidate political forces and strengthen national unity.
“Syria is going through difficult times,” Putin said, “but I believe this process will nevertheless strengthen ties and cooperation between all political forces in the country.”
