Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa visited Moscow for the second time in less than four months, with the discussions focusing on the sensitive issue of Russia's key military bases in Syria. Wednesday’s meeting at the Kremlin underscored Moscow’s efforts to redefine its relationship with Damascus under a leader who was once its enemy, even as al-Sharaa seeks to balance competing global powers to secure Syria’s reconstruction, political legitimacy and territorial unity.
For Russia, the key agenda was the future of its military footprint in Syria, particularly the Khmeimim airbase and the Tartous naval facility on the Mediterranean coast. These installations are Russia’s only permanent military outposts outside the former Soviet Union and form a critical logistical hub for its operations across Africa and the wider Middle East. Retaining access to both is seen in the Kremlin as non-negotiable, regardless of who governs Damascus.
In this context, Moscow has begun signalling flexibility elsewhere. In a move interpreted by the Syrian leadership as a gesture of goodwill, Russian forces recently withdrew from Qamishli airport in northeastern Syria, a region administered by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces. By doing so, Putin has sent a clear signal that Russia does not want to be drawn into a sensitive domestic question. The move also tacitly acknowledged al-Sharaa’s efforts to reassert central authority after more than a decade of civil war.
During the civil war, Russia had maintained delicate ties with multiple actors in the region, including the Kurds, militias promoted by Iran and other regional powers. At the moment, however, Moscow has realised that it would be strategically wise to back the al-Sharaa regime and its efforts to unify the country. Putin congratulated al-Sharaa on the momentum in “restoring the territorial integrity of Syria”, language that many observers interpreted as an implicit endorsement of Damascus’s recent military pressure on the SDF.
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“We have followed closely your efforts to restore Syria’s territorial integrity. I would like to congratulate you on the growing momentum of this process. Russia has always championed this goal, and we fully support your endeavours in this direction. I hope that the integration of areas east of the Euphrates will contribute significantly to the full restoration of Syria’s territorial integrity,” Putin told the visiting leader.
Beyond security, the summit was framed as a turning point in Syria’s transition from war to reconstruction. Al-Sharaa, a former rebel commander who has rapidly rebranded himself as a pragmatic statesman, declared that Syria had “overcome the sanctions phase” associated with the Assad era. This confidence stems in part from Washington’s recent repeal of the Caesar Act, which lifted some of the most punishing economic restrictions on Syria and opened the door to renewed international engagement.
Putin was quick to position Russia as a partner in this next phase. He expressed readiness to assist in rebuilding Syria’s devastated economy, offering cooperation in construction, industry, energy and medicine. Russian companies, he said, were prepared to participate in joint projects, signalling Moscow’s desire to convert its military investment in Syria into long-term economic influence. For al-Sharaa, engagement with Russia remains essential for stabilising the economy and attracting broader foreign investment, even if it carries the historical irony of seeking assistance from a power that once bombed his forces.
Yet, all is not well with the relationship. Syria is keen to get back Bashar al-Assad, who lives in a gilded cage in Russia. Following his ouster, Assad and his family were granted asylum in Russia, where they continue to reside despite being fugitives from the new Syrian administration. Al-Sharaa used the Moscow summit to reiterate his demand for Assad’s extradition so that he can face justice for war crimes and decades of repression. The Kremlin has so far remained silent on the issue, unwilling to abandon a former ally while also avoiding a direct confrontation with Damascus.
However, at the moment, Syria seems prepared to overlook this concern as it focuses more on broader strategic goals. Moscow, for its part, has been reassured by al-Sharaa’s willingness to maintain bilateral relations, even if they fall short of the privileged alliance Russia enjoyed under Assad.
The summit also took place against the backdrop of al-Sharaa’s diplomatic manoeuvring in the West. He has established a working rapport with US President Donald Trump, who has publicly praised him, signalling Washington’s readiness to deal with the new Syrian leadership. It seems al-Sharaa is keen on a dual-track diplomacy, balancing Russian security interests with American political support, aiming to avoid over-reliance on any single patron.
By travelling to Moscow, al-Sharaa acknowledged Russia’s “historic role” in regional stability, a carefully calibrated nod that helps legitimise his leadership in the eyes of a former adversary. For Putin, hosting the Syrian president served to protect Russia’s Mediterranean assets and reinforce its claim to remain an indispensable power broker in the Middle East, regardless of political change in Damascus.