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.
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