Russian President Vladimir Putin and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa discussed, among other things, the future of Russian military bases in the Middle Eastern country.
During a phone call on Wednesday, Putin confirmed Moscow’s support for Syria’s territorial integrity and said that Russia rejects Israeli attacks and violations of Syrian sovereignty, according to the Syrian news agency SANA.
The Kremlin emphasized that the conversation also covered deepening political dialogue and cooperation in trade and other areas. According to SANA, the talks aimed at further developing bilateral relations and strengthening cooperation.
The future of Russian military bases
The status of the Khmeimim airbase and the Tartus naval base—both of strategic importance to Russia—remains a key issue in relations between Damascus and Moscow.
The Kremlin said Russian‑Syrian relations will evolve through further contacts “at various levels.” It also noted that “both sides emphasized the importance of the Memorandum of Understanding on the reorganization of the Khmeimim airbase and the material‑technical support point in Tartus, signed on August 9.”
Earlier this month, Syria announced the conclusion of an agreement after 18 months of negotiations. Under the deal, Khmeimim and Tartus will become “joint training and capability development centres,” with Syria taking control of civilian facilities at both sites.
Russia backed former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad during the 13‑year civil war, intervening militarily to keep him in power and expanding its presence at the Khmeimim airbase and the Tartus naval base on the Mediterranean coast.
After al-Sharaa oversaw the removal of the Bashar al-Assad regime, Putin has been working to establish relations with the new Syrian government and to secure the future of Russian bases, which are crucial to Russia’s efforts to maintain influence in the Middle East and North Africa.
Source: Al Jazeera
