{"id":32129,"date":"2025-10-16T10:47:49","date_gmt":"2025-10-16T07:47:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/?p=32129"},"modified":"2025-10-18T10:12:44","modified_gmt":"2025-10-18T07:12:44","slug":"syrian-president-sharaa-seeks-to-reset-ties-with-moscow-in-first-meeting-with-russian-president-putin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/syrian-president-sharaa-seeks-to-reset-ties-with-moscow-in-first-meeting-with-russian-president-putin\/","title":{"rendered":"Syrian President Sharaa seeks to reset ties with Moscow in first meeting with Russian President Putin"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

6 minute read<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa held a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, expressing his country’s intention to \u201crestore and redefine\u201d its long-standing partnership with Russia, which was once the key ally of the ousted Assad regime.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speaking at a joint press conference on October 15, 2025, in Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin, al-Sharaa emphasized that Syria \u201crespects all past agreements and the great history\u201d shared with Russia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are trying to restore and redefine in a new way the nature of these relations so there is independence for Syria, sovereign Syria, and also its territorial unity and integrity and its security stability,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The visit marks al-Sharaa\u2019s first official trip to Russia since assuming power in Damascus last year. The two leaders met at the Kremlin to discuss economic cooperation, energy projects, and the future of Russian military installations in Syria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


Restoring Alliance<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Putin welcomed al-Sharaa to Moscow, praising the \u201cdecades of special relations\u201d between the two nations and describing Syria\u2019s recent parliamentary elections as a \u201cgreat success\u201d for consolidating unity after years of civil conflict.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI believe that this is a great success for you, because it leads to the consolidation of society,\u201d Putin said, adding that Moscow remains committed to supporting Syria\u2019s stability and sovereignty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Kremlin said before the meeting that discussions would include the future of Russia\u2019s key military facilities, the Hmeimim air base in Latakia and the Tartous naval facility, both central to Moscow\u2019s long-term presence in the Mediterranean. Russia also maintains a smaller outpost at Qamishli airport, near the Turkish and Iraqi borders.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Russian<\/a>
Russian President Vladimir Putin shaking hands with Syrian interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa during their meeting at the Grand Kremlin Palace in Moscow, Russia, on October 15, 2025. (Image Credit: AP)<\/sup><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Al-Sharaa assured Putin that Damascus would honor all previous defense and energy agreements with Moscow. \u201cThere are bilateral relations and shared interests that bind us with Russia, and we respect all agreements made with it. We are working on redefining the nature of relations with Russia,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


Economic Cooperation and Reconstruction<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak told reporters after the talks that Moscow is prepared to invest in oil and infrastructure projects to help Syria rebuild after years of civil war. \u201cRussian companies have been working in Syria for a long time, at oil fields. Some fields require development, those that are mothballed, and new fields. We are ready to participate,\u201d Novak said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He added that discussions focused on energy restoration, rail networks, and industrial facilities destroyed during the conflict. Syria\u2019s heavily damaged energy sector still depends largely on Russian technology and expertise, making renewed cooperation vital for the new government\u2019s reconstruction efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a recent interview, al-Sharaa highlighted that \u201cRussia has close and longstanding relations with Syria, which relate to the basic structure of the state and to energy and food, for which Syria depends partly on Russian supplies, as well as some old strategic interests.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the meeting with the Syrian president and his team, the Russian side was represented by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Maxim Oreshkin, Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov, Defense Minister Andrei Belousov, and Head of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Federation Armed Forces, Deputy Chief of the General Staff Igor Kostyukov.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Putin is hosting new Syrian president Ahmed al-Sharaa in the Kremlin.

Sharaa ousted Russia's ally Bashar al-Assad from power last year but wants to "reset" relations with Moscow.

He might even let Putin keep Russia's bases in Syria. But he wants Assad back to stand trial… pic.twitter.com\/QvulMueYmK<\/a><\/p>— max seddon (@maxseddon) October 15, 2025<\/a><\/blockquote>