Syrian President Al-Shara Meets Putin in Moscow Amid Discussions on Russian Military Base Future

Syrian President Ahmad Al-Shara met with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Wednesday. During the meeting, the Kremlin expressed a desire to agree on a deal to secure the future of crucial military bases for Russia's military presence in the Middle East.

Russia was a key ally of Al-Shara's predecessor, Bashar al-Assad, during the 14-year bloody civil war in Syria. The fall of Assad at the hands of Al-Shara's rebel forces dealt a major blow to Russia's influence in the region. Questions have arisen regarding the status of Russia's massive military bases remaining in Syria.

Putin has since been working to build relations with Al-Shara, although Russia's continued sheltering of Assad and his wife in Moscow remains a significant obstacle to improving relations.

“A lot of work has been done in terms of restoring our inter-state relations,” Putin stated during the televised meeting with Al-Shara.

Indicating Al-Shara's recent offensive against Kurdish forces in northeastern Syria, Putin added, “We have been closely monitoring your efforts to restore Syria's territorial integrity, and I want to congratulate you on the momentum this process has gained.”

In his second meeting with Putin since taking power, Al-Shara emphasized Russia's historical role not only in Syria's unity and stability but across the entire region.

Neither leader explicitly mentioned Russia's military presence in Syria. However, Putin's spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, had previously stated, “I am confident that this issue will be raised in the talks between the leaders of the two countries.”

Russia maintains two remaining major military installations in Syria: the Hmeimim Air Base and the Tartus Naval Base on Syria's Mediterranean coast. These are Russia's only two official military bases outside the former Soviet Union.

The Kremlin withdrew its forces from the Kurdish-controlled Kamishly airport in northeastern Syria earlier this week. Syria has expressed a desire to cooperate with Moscow, despite Russia's repeated demands for Assad's handover.