Putin Hosts Syrian President Al-Sharaa in Moscow Amid Assad’s Presence

Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa in Moscow on Wednesday. This marks Al-Sharaa’s second visit to Russia since taking office in December 2024. The meeting comes as Putin seeks to secure the future of Russian military bases in Syria and maintain Moscow’s strategic influence in the region.

Al-Sharaa and Putin had met previously in October 2025, signaling a possible rapprochement. However, former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, a long-standing adversary of Al-Sharaa, remains in Moscow under Russian protection. After losing control of Damascus in December 2024, Assad fled to Moscow with his wife, and Russia has reportedly refused extradition despite repeated requests from Al-Sharaa.

At the start of Wednesday’s meeting, President Putin congratulated Al-Sharaa, stating, “I would like to commend you on the progress toward restoring Syria’s territorial integrity.” Al-Sharaa acknowledged Russia’s key role in stabilizing Syria and the wider region. Recent developments indicate Syrian government forces have made rapid gains in areas controlled by the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

For over a decade during the Syrian civil war, Al-Sharaa and Putin were on opposing sides. Russia, under Putin, had strongly supported Assad’s regime, providing military assistance against opposition forces and establishing a significant presence in Syria. The current discussions come amid shifting dynamics in the country.

Prior to the meeting, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that Russia’s military presence in Syria would be a key topic. Reports earlier this week indicated that Russian forces were withdrawn from Kamishly Airport in northeastern Kurdish-controlled Syria, leaving only the Heimim Air Base on the Mediterranean coast and the Tartus Naval Base under Russian control.