Putin to meet Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Moscow
Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Moscow on Wednesday. Al-Sharaa is expected to request the extradition of former leader Bashar al-Assad, who took refuge in Russia after being ousted by rebel forces.
Russian President Vladimir Putin will hold talks on Wednesday in Moscow with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, the Kremlin announced. The visit, described as a working-level meeting, marks the first official visit from Syria since the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad last year, who has been living in exile in Russia.
Al-Sharaa to demand Assad’s handover
Syrian government sources confirmed that al-Sharaa will call for the extradition of Bashar al-Assad during his talks with Putin. An official speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity said:
“Al-Sharaa will ask the Russian president to hand over all individuals in Russia who have committed war crimes — most notably Bashar al-Assad.”
Military bases and economic ties also on the table
A Syrian foreign ministry official stated that the agenda would include “economic and political cooperation, as well as the status of Russian military bases in Syria.”
Russia’s Tartus naval base and Hmeimim airbase on the Mediterranean coast remain Moscow’s only official military outposts outside the former Soviet Union. During its 2015 intervention in the Syrian civil war, Russia heavily relied on these bases to support Assad’s forces through intense aerial bombardments on rebel-held areas.
Russia–Arab summit postponed
Al-Sharaa had been expected to participate in a Russia–Arab summit scheduled for Wednesday in Moscow. However, the Kremlin announced that the summit was postponed, as several Arab leaders due to attend were occupied with implementing the U.S.-brokered Gaza ceasefire plan, which came into effect last Friday.
New Syrian leadership seeks balanced relations with Moscow
Syria’s new Islamist administration is seeking to maintain peaceful and pragmatic relations with Russia, despite Moscow’s long-standing alliance with Assad.
In July, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani became the first senior official of the new government to visit Russia. Earlier, in January, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov led a delegation to Damascus — the first Russian mission since Assad’s ouster.
