Russian President Vladimir Putin said he was ready to assist in rebuilding Syria’s war-damaged economy as the country's interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa made his second visit to Moscow in less than four months on Wednesday (28 January).
In opening remarks, Putin told al-Sharaa, "I want to congratulate you on the fact that the process of restoring the territorial integrity of Syria is gaining momentum."
Putin also reaffirmed Moscow’s support for Syria’s unity. “You know that we always stood for the restoration of Syria’s territorial integrity, and we support all your efforts in this direction,” he said.
Al-Sharaa, on his second visit to Russia since ousting Bashar al-Assad in 2024, thanked Putin for helping to stabilise the situation in Syria and the wider region.
He also underlined the importance of Russia’s role in supporting Syria’s unity and stability, Syria’s SANA state news agency reported.
Reuters reported this week that Russia was withdrawing forces from Qamishli airport in northeast Syria, although it was expected to maintain its larger Hmeimim air base and Tartous naval facility on Syria's Mediterranean coast.
A Syrian foreign ministry source said Damascus viewed the withdrawal from Qamishli as a goodwill gesture.
The source added that it signalled Russia would not become involved in clashes between government forces and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) as Sharaa seeks to assert central authority nationwide.
Military bases and regional security concerns
The Syrian source said a key item on the agenda was redefining the status of Russia’s military presence at Tartous and Hmeimim, which Moscow hopes to retain under a new framework in the post-Assad period.
It also added that al-Sharaa intended to raise concerns about the risk of a strike on Iran, with Damascus keen to contain any spillover from a potential U.S. or Israeli attack, particularly given Iran’s past use of Syrian airspace to target Israel.
Al-Sharaa was also seeking greater Russian engagement in future security arrangements in southern Syria, including a possible Russian military police presence in Quneitra in the Golan Heights, to serve as a buffer against Israeli incursions, the source said.
Fighting broke out earlier this month between government forces and the SDF after negotiations over merging the groups collapsed. A ceasefire is currently in place and has largely held, with the truce extended by another 15 days after an initial four-day period expired.
Despite having been on opposing sides during much of Syria’s civil war, the interim government in Damascus has signalled readiness to develop ties with Moscow, hoping Russia could help rebuild the war-ravaged country and offer an additional foreign policy channel.
Saudi Arabia has temporarily shut down its 1,200-kilometre East-West oil pipeline after it was hit by a drone attack, with Riyadh and Baghdad sayin...
Russia's Defence Ministry said its forces struck two cargo vessels overnight in the Ukrainian Black Sea port o...
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday he would “love” to see British-run Northern Ireland unify...
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian arrived in New Delhi on Friday to attend the weekend BRICS summit, amid the ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict, joining a host of foreign dignitaries.
Ukrainian forces struck a Russian oil refinery in Siberia and a seaport in Dagestan in the past 24 hours, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. He will meet Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Thursday to discuss air defences for Ukraine over winter.
Mexico and the U.S. are racing to secure a trade deal before the U.S. midterm elections in less than eight weeks, according to six sources familiar with the talks, with failed negotiations between Washington and Canada adding urgency.
Dubai’s property market has spent years climbing. Now, for the first time since 2021, prices are moving in the opposite direction.
A Russian strike on a gas station in Kyiv has killed two people, the city's Mayor Vitali Klitschko said in a statement on Telegram. In Russia, online marketplace Ozon has suspended operations in Saratov, southwestern Russia, following a drone strike on a warehouse in the region.
Uzbekistan plans to introduce a new Heritage Impact Assessment system to shield historic cities and cultural heritage sites from the potential impact of construction and infrastructure development. Digital tools will also be used to manage tourist numbers and limit visitors where necessary.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to deepening its partnership with the Gates Foundation, with talks spanning polio eradication, health, financial inclusion and digital development.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian arrived in New Delhi on Friday to attend the weekend BRICS summit, amid the ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict, joining a host of foreign dignitaries.
Georgia’s top security official has held face-to-face talks with his Azerbaijani counterpart in China, with both sides pledging to deepen intelligence cooperation amid growing global security challenges.
More than 46,000 people have been displaced in Yemen since fighting escalated last week, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Friday, warning that the number is rising “by the hour”.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment