Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Syrian President Bashar Assad at the Kremlin amid rising tensions in the Middle East.
Russia has been involved in a military campaign in Syria since September 2015, collaborating with Iran to support Assad's government in combating armed opposition groups and reclaiming much of the country. Despite focusing most of its military resources on Ukraine, Russia maintains a military presence in Syria with troops stationed at its bases.
During the meeting, Putin sought Assad’s insights on regional developments, noting the tendency towards escalation, including in Syria. The Kremlin confirmed that the meeting took place on Wednesday.
Did you read this?
This meeting follows their last encounter in March 2023, which marked the anniversary of Syria’s 12-year uprising-turned-civil war. In that meeting, Putin highlighted the role of the Russian military in stabilizing Syria.
Assad acknowledged the significance of their meeting amidst current global and Eurasian events. Although details of their talks were not disclosed, one likely topic was the restoration of diplomatic relations between Russia and Turkey. Russia, a staunch supporter of Assad, also has strong ties with Turkey and has been advocating for renewed relations between the two nations.
Turkey severed ties with Syria in 2011 following mass anti-government protests and a violent crackdown by Syrian security forces, which escalated into the ongoing civil war. Turkey has supported Syrian insurgent groups aiming to overthrow Assad and still has forces in the opposition-held northwest, causing friction with Damascus.
In December 2022, defense ministers from Turkey, Syria, and Russia met in Moscow, marking the first ministerial-level talks between Turkey and Syria since 2011. Russia also facilitated meetings between Syrian and Turkish officials last year.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Assad recently indicated an interest in restoring diplomatic ties. A Turkish newspaper reported a potential meeting between Erdogan and Assad in Moscow in August, but Turkish officials denied this, stating it was not accurate.
