Al-Sharaa in Moscow: Syria Seeks to Reset Ties with Russia

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Syrian Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa arrived in Moscow on Wednesday for an official visit to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin, marking his first foreign trip since assuming power late last year. The visit — confirmed by pro-government Syria TV and official sources in Damascus — comes amid Syria’s attempt to redefine its alliances and navigate an increasingly volatile regional environment following years of war, international isolation, and domestic upheaval.

At the beginning of the meeting, Al-Sharaa emphasized the depth of the historical ties between the two countries, noting that Syria is currently undergoing a new phase through which it seeks to rebuild its political and strategic relations with regional and international countries, most notably the Russian Federation.

The two leaders met at the Kremlin Palace, where they discussed bilateral relations, Russia’s continued military presence in Syria, and avenues for expanding strategic cooperation across economic, defense, and energy sectors. According to a Syrian official, the agenda also included discussions on the status of Russia’s naval base in Tartous and Hmeimim Airbase in Latakia, both cornerstones of Moscow’s long-term projection of power in the eastern Mediterranean.

In a notable diplomatic gesture, President al-Sharaa formally requested the handover of former President Bashar al-Assad—who fled Damascus and was granted asylum in Russia—for trial over alleged crimes against Syrians. This unprecedented move underscores al-Sharaa’s effort to distance his government from the Assad era while maintaining pragmatic relations with Moscow.

Al-Shara added, "We respect all past agreements, and we are trying to redefine and reshape the nature of these relations, while ensuring the independence of the Syrian situation and national sovereignty." He emphasized that the safety, unity, and security of Syria are linked to regional and global stability.

President Vladimir Putin, welcoming his Syrian counterpart, highlighted the enduring nature of Russian–Syrian ties. “We have maintained strong relations with Syria for more than eighty years,” he said in remarks broadcast by SANA, Syria’s state news agency. “Our relations have never been tied to political conditions or narrow interests — they are built on mutual benefit and on our friendship with the Syrian people.”

For his part, Russian President Vladimir Putin noted that relations between Russia and Syria span more than 80 years, a strong friendship established during a sensitive period in the Soviet Union in 1941. He emphasized that Russia has never placed narrow interests or the current political situation at the heart of its calculations regarding Syria.

Putin added that Moscow intends to resume the work of the Russian–Syrian intergovernmental commission, a body tasked with deepening economic, technological, and cultural cooperation between the two nations. “We hold close relations with the Syrian people and aim to further strengthen cooperation with Damascus,” he said.

Putin also stressed the importance of resuming the work of the Russian-Syrian Joint Governmental Commission, which was established in 1993 and includes a broad-based delegation. The commission resumed its activities under the chairmanship of Alexander Novak, Deputy Prime Minister of Russia. He said, "Many important ideas have been identified, and we will do our utmost to implement them and translate them into reality. Naturally, we agreed to organize regular consultations between the foreign ministries of our two countries."

Responding to Putin’s remarks, President al-Sharaa emphasized his government’s goal of restoring Syria’s international standing after years of isolation. “We in the new Syria are reconnecting with all regional and global partners,” he said. “Our relationship with Russia is built on shared interests, and we respect all existing agreements.”

Al-Sharaa praised Moscow’s role in supporting Syria’s energy and reconstruction sectors, noting that a significant portion of the country’s energy infrastructure depends on Russian expertise. “We have close ties with Russia, and our cooperation in the energy field is essential to Syria’s recovery,” he affirmed.

According to SANA, the meeting also covered ways to enhance strategic cooperation in various fields, including defense coordination, infrastructure reconstruction, and economic modernization.

Syrian Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa met Vladimir Putin in Moscow, seeking to reset ties while formally requesting the extradition of former leader Bashar al-Assad.

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The Moscow visit follows a pivotal and highly publicized interview al-Sharaa gave to CBS News’ 60 Minutes earlier this week, in which he revealed that Israel had bombed his presidential palace twice, calling it “a declaration of war.” Yet, in a striking display of restraint, he declared that “Syria does not want to engage in wars and does not wish to be a threat to Israel or anyone else.”

This delicate diplomatic balance — denouncing aggression while appealing for de-escalation — encapsulates the tightrope the new Syrian leader must walk. Having overthrown the Assad regime in a lightning eleven-day offensive in December 2024, al-Sharaa now faces the monumental challenge of stabilizing a country devastated by civil war while trying to convince regional and global powers that Syria’s new era is rooted in peace, accountability, and reform.

He told CBS News that he remains committed to prosecuting anyone who committed crimes against civilians, though he dismissed some United Nations findings against his forces as “exaggerated.” His government has been accused of sectarian violence, including alleged massacres of Alawite civilians in the coastal region and clashes with the Druze community in Sweida earlier this year — events that prompted Israeli airstrikes on Syria’s military and government installations.

Speaking candidly, al-Sharaa acknowledged the immense destruction Syria has endured. Walking through the ruins of Jobar, once a thriving suburb of Damascus, he told CBS, “Every single room in these buildings holds memories for those who lived here. This war was cruel. It was a hard war.” He blamed the devastation on Assad’s regime and its allies, Russia and Iran, accusing them of pursuing a systematic policy of displacement.

Over half a million Syrians have been killed since 2011, and more than thirteen million have been displaced or forced abroad. The interim president estimated the cost of reconstruction at between $600 and $900 billion, appealing to the international community to lift sanctions and support Syria’s rebuilding. “Anyone who obstructs the lifting of sanctions on Syria is an accomplice to those who committed this crime,” he said.

Al-Sharaa’s unlikely ascent to power — from a former al-Qaeda member and U.S.-designated terrorist to the head of state — has raised both skepticism and cautious engagement abroad. He joined al-Qaeda in Iraq two decades ago and was imprisoned by American and Iraqi forces for six years. Upon his release, he became a rebel commander during the Syrian uprising before eventually breaking with both al-Qaeda and ISIS, publicly renouncing their ideologies in 2016.

“I was 17 or 18 years old,” he told Margaret Brennan of CBS, describing his militant past as a youthful error. “The level of awareness then was different. Today we are focused on saving our people from oppression and rebuilding our nation.”

Ten months into his presidency, Damascus is slowly emerging from collapse, though it remains crippled by hyperinflation, power outages, and institutional decay. In May, U.S. President Donald Trump announced the temporary suspension of sanctions on Syria, citing the need to “give them a chance at greatness,” though the policy remains contingent on congressional approval and U.N. endorsement.

Despite his criticism of Russia’s past actions in Syria, al-Sharaa’s approach to Moscow has been notably pragmatic. Last month, he welcomed a high-level Russian delegation to Damascus and publicly stated that while his government would pursue legal action against Bashar al-Assad, engaging in a conflict with Russia “would be too costly and not in Syria’s interest.”

Today’s Kremlin meeting appears to mark the next step in that cautious rapprochement. By reaffirming old agreements and acknowledging Russia’s vital role in Syria’s infrastructure and defense, al-Sharaa signaled his intent to recalibrate relations without severing them, ensuring that Moscow remains a partner rather than an adversary during Syria’s fragile transition.

The message was clear: Syria’s new leadership seeks to redefine its alliances on the basis of mutual respect, legality, and reconstruction — not ideology or subjugation.

As President al-Sharaa continues his international outreach, his challenge remains monumental — to rebuild a nation haunted by war, to regain credibility on the world stage, and to balance between powerful actors whose interests in Syria often collide.

For now, his visit to Moscow suggests a strategic reset rather than rupture — one that acknowledges the necessity of Russian cooperation even as Syria struggles to emerge from the shadow of its past and chart an independent future.

Updated on Oct.15, 2025 at 5:33 PM.