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Kremlin has not indicated whether or not it would conform to al-Sharaa’s repeated requests for Bashar al-Assad’s extradition.
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa is assembly Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow because the latter seeks to shore up Russia’s presence within the nation, together with militarily, simply over a 12 months after al-Sharaa ousted Russia’s former ally, Bashar al-Assad.
Talking at a information convention earlier than their assembly on Wednesday, al-Sharaa thanked Putin for supporting unity in Syria and what he mentioned was the “historic” function Russia had performed within the “stability of the area”.
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Putin expressed his help for al-Sharaa’s ongoing efforts to stabilise Syria and congratulated him on gaining momentum in direction of “restoring the territorial integrity of Syria”.
Putin and al-Sharaa spent greater than a decade on opposing sides of Syria’s civil struggle, prompting issues in Moscow about the way forward for Russia’s army presence there.
Earlier than the talks, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, mentioned “the presence of our troopers in Syria” can be mentioned. They’re stationed on the Khmeimim airbase and the Tartous naval base in Syria’s Mediterranean coastal area.
Earlier this week, Russia reportedly withdrew its forces from the Qamishli airport in Kurdish-held northeastern Syria, leaving it with solely its two Mediterranean bases – now its solely army outposts exterior the previous Soviet Union.
Amberin Zaman, a correspondent with the Center East information outlet Al-Monitor, revealed footage that she was mentioned was from the deserted base in Qamishli on Monday.
Syria had traditionally been certainly one of Moscow’s closest allies within the Center East. Their ties return to the Chilly Struggle when the Soviet Union offered intensive army and different varieties of help to the Baathist regime in Damascus, led first by Hafez al-Assad after which his son Bashar.
Moscow had been anxious about the potential of a “populist anti-Russia” authorities rising in Damascus when Bashar al-Assad was overthrown, Samuel Ramani, an affiliate fellow on the London-based RUSI suppose tank, advised Al Jazeera.
“They feared he [al-Sharaa] would squeeze them out, however the Russians have been pleasantly stunned, even when they’ve needed to downgrade their ties from earlier than,” Ramani added.
Pragmatic strategy
Al-Sharaa has additionally taken a realistic strategy, mentioned Ramani, as he has sought to construct his personal relations with extra-regional powers as a hedge towards potential political swings within the US.
“The Republicans are lenient in direction of Syria partaking Russia so long as they maintain Iran out,” Ramani mentioned, “whereas the Democrats have been extra sceptical general and have wished to maneuver slower on the removing of sanctions and different points.”
“Al-Sharaa additionally wants Russia, and that’s the reason he’s partaking”, he mentioned.
Al-Sharaa performed down Russia’s function in Syria’s civil struggle and sought to strike a friendlier tone throughout his first visit to Moscow in October, regardless of Russia offering refuge to Syria’s former President Bashar al-Assad and his spouse, who fled the nation as opposition fighters advanced towards Damascus in December 2024.
Al-Sharaa has requested al-Assad’s extradition and mentioned at an occasion final month that there can be justice for Syrians who have been victims of the previous president’s repression.
Putin might be particularly eager to keep up his nation’s presence in Syria, having misplaced one other ally this month, when america despatched particular forces to abduct Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
On Tuesday, Russia’s defence minister Andrey Removich Belousov mentioned after a gathering along with his Chinese language counterpart that Moscow was intently monitoring the scenario in Venezuela and with Iran, which has shut ties with Russia and has been going through threats of a strike from the US in latest weeks.
Syria’s new leaders have reorientated the nation’s overseas coverage away from Russia and have mentioned they’re searching for to construct a strategic relationship with the US, which has been reciprocated by the Trump administration.
The US appeared to not comply with by means of with warnings to the Syrian authorities towards partaking the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces this month, however later helped dealer a truce which helped finish the fighting.
A fragile ceasefire is now in place and has been largely holding.
