IRIA News

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Russian President Vladimir Putin met Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa in Moscow on January 28, 2026, with talks focused on the future of Russia’s military presence in Syria and the broader direction of bilateral relations.

The meeting comes as Russia works to safeguard its remaining foothold in Syria and maintain influence in the Middle East following major political changes in Damascus.

Speaking at a news conference before the talks, Al-Sharaa thanked Putin for supporting unity in Syria and for what he described as Russia’s “historic” role in the “stability of the region.”

Putin, in turn, voiced support for Al-Sharaa’s efforts to stabilize the country and congratulated him on progress toward restoring national control. “I want to congratulate you on the fact that the process of restoring the territorial integrity of Syria is gaining momentum,” Putin said in televised opening remarks.

Al-Sharaa echoed the conciliatory tone, thanking Putin for Russia’s role in helping stabilize Syria and the wider region.

Putin and Al-Sharaa spent more than a decade on opposing sides of Syria’s civil war, during which Russia provided extensive military support to the Assad government.

Assad fled to Moscow in December 2024 as opposition forces led by Al-Sharaa advanced on Damascus, marking a major setback for Russian influence in Syria.

Moscow had been concerned that Assad’s fall could usher in what it feared might be a “populist anti-Russia” government in Damascus.

Military Presence at the Centre of Talks

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said ahead of the meeting that “all issues related to the presence of our troops in Syria” would be discussed, alongside economic cooperation and regional developments.

Russian forces are currently stationed at the Khmeimim air base and the Tartous naval facility on Syria’s Mediterranean coast. These sites now represent Russia’s only military outposts outside the former Soviet Union.

Earlier this week, Russia reportedly withdrew its forces from Qamishli airport in Kurdish-held northeastern Syria. Reuters reported that while Moscow was pulling out of Qamishli, it was expected to retain Khmeimim and Tartous.

A Syrian foreign ministry source said the withdrawal was interpreted in Damascus as a goodwill gesture, signaling that Russia would not be drawn into fighting between Syrian government forces and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces as Al-Sharaa seeks to assert central authority across the country.

Footage published on Monday showed what was described as Russia’s abandoned base at Qamishli.

Redefining the Status of Russian Bases

According to Syrian sources, a key issue on the agenda was redefining the legal and operational status of Russia’s military presence at Tartous and Khmeimim under a new framework for the post-Assad period.

Russia’s presence in Qamishli had long been a sensitive issue for Syrian authorities, who viewed it as leverage Moscow could use against Damascus and as support for Kurdish autonomy efforts. This relationship dated back to Russia’s cooperation with Kurdish forces while simultaneously backing Assad during the war.

A Syrian source said Al-Sharaa also wanted assurances that Russia would not allow senior Assad loyalists and former army officers who fled to Moscow to use their sanctuary to finance or organize insurgent attacks against the Syrian state, particularly in coastal areas.

Assad’s Fate and Calls for Justice

Al-Sharaa has requested Assad’s extradition and has said there would be justice for Syrians who were victims of repression under the former president.

Peskov declined to comment when asked whether Russia might consider extraditing Assad, who remains in Moscow with his wife.

Assad’s overthrow, after a civil war lasting more than a decade, marked the end of one of Russia’s closest alliances in the Middle East, rooted in ties dating back to the Cold War when the Soviet Union supported the Ba’athist leadership in Damascus.

Regional Concerns and Iran

Syrian sources said Al-Sharaa also planned to raise concerns about the risk of a potential strike on Iran, with Damascus keen to limit any spillover from possible U.S. or Israeli military action. Iran, a close Russian ally, has faced increasing pressure and threats of attack in recent weeks.

Al-Sharaa was also seeking greater Russian involvement in future security arrangements in southern Syria, including the possible deployment of Russian military police in Quneitra in the Golan Heights as a buffer against Israeli incursions.

Putin is seen as especially eager to preserve Russia’s presence in Syria at a time when Moscow has faced setbacks elsewhere. Russian Defense Minister Andrey Removich Belousov said on Tuesday that Russia was closely monitoring developments in Venezuela and Iran following recent tensions involving the United States.

Syria’s new leadership, meanwhile, has signaled a shift in foreign policy away from Russia and toward closer ties with Washington. The Trump administration has reciprocated by engaging with Damascus, including helping broker a truce after clashes between Syrian government forces and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces earlier this month.