Syrian Officials Meet Putin to Discuss Defence and Cooperation
Syria’s foreign and defence ministers met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Tuesday to explore ways to expand military, political, and economic collaboration, with particular emphasis on strategic partnerships in defence industries, according to Syria’s state news agency SANA.
In October, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa visited Russia, assuring that his government would uphold all previous agreements between Damascus and Moscow, a statement that indicated Russia’s main military bases in Syria were secure. At the time, Putin expressed Russia’s willingness to support what he described as “many interesting and useful initiatives” discussed for renewing bilateral relations.
Russia had long supported Sharaa’s predecessor, Bashar al-Assad, against rebel forces using its military power. Assad was removed from power when Sharaa-led rebels took control in December last year, after which Moscow granted asylum to Assad and his family.
During Tuesday’s meeting, Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani and Defence Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra focused on enhancing military cooperation to boost the Syrian army’s defence capabilities, including modernising equipment and sharing expertise, SANA reported.
The discussions also addressed the importance of closer political coordination and stronger economic and investment ties, including collaboration on reconstruction and infrastructure projects in Syria.
Earlier reports indicated that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was scheduled to meet with his Syrian counterpart, al-Shibani, for further talks.
