Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani, describing the talks as “good.”
The meeting between al-Shibani and Putin came during a visit by the Syrian foreign minister and Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra to Moscow on Tuesday, 23 December.
Al-Shibani said at a press conference with his Russian counterpart on Wednesday, 24 December, that Russian-Syrian relations are entering a new phase.
He pointed to coordination between the two countries on international platforms, saying there are discussions on ways to develop that coordination. He added that he looks forward to more frank and open talks with Russian officials to move relations to a strategic level.
Al-Shibani also noted that around 4 million homes have been destroyed in Syria, that camps still exist in the north, and that refugees abroad are waiting to return. “That is why we are seeking to attract foreign investment, and we hope the Russian side will help us with that,” he said.
For his part, Lavrov affirmed that Russia is committed to Syria’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence. He said the two sides reached basic agreements on how to develop trade and economic relations for mutual benefit, building on foundations laid over past decades.
Lavrov said Russia will develop its relations with Syria based on previously established foundations, noting that the Syrian side, during talks with President Putin in Moscow, expressed readiness to strengthen cooperation with Russia.
Syria’s state news agency SANA said the two sides discussed ways to develop military and technical partnership to enhance the defensive capabilities of the Syrian army and keep pace with modern developments in military industries, especially in updating military equipment, transferring technical expertise, and cooperating in research and development.
SANA added that President Putin reaffirmed Russia’s steadfast support for Syria and the importance of preserving Syria’s territorial unity and full sovereignty, rejecting any projects aimed at dividing the country or undermining its independent national decision.
Moscow also renewed its opposition to repeated Israeli violations of Syrian territory, considering them a direct threat to stability and security in the region.
A previous visit by al-Sharaa
Russian President Vladimir Putin received Syria’s transitional president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, in Moscow on 15 October.
During his meeting with Putin at the Kremlin, al-Sharaa said the new Syria is reconnecting strategic and political relations with all countries, foremost among them Russia.
He said part of Syria’s food supply depends on Russian production, and that many energy stations rely on Moscow’s expertise, according to Russia’s Sputnik agency.
Al-Sharaa stressed that “Russia and Syria are connected by serious bridges of cooperation, including economic cooperation.”
Putin, meanwhile, said Russia’s relations with Syria have always been guided by the interests of the Syrian people.
“We in Russia have not had any relations with Syria linked to our political circumstances or our own interests, throughout these decades our goal has always been the interest of the Syrian people,” Putin said.
He added that Russia and Syria have had a special relationship for many decades, and that relations between Syria and Russia have always been “very friendly.”
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said Syria needs to rebuild its infrastructure and that Russia is able to provide support.
Novak noted that Russia and Syria agreed to hold a meeting of an intergovernmental commission in the near future. He added that “issues of humanitarian supplies” to Syria were discussed during the talks between Putin and al-Sharaa at the Kremlin.
Novak also confirmed that Russia and Syria discussed cooperation in various fields, including tourism.
Damascus expressed interest in Russian supplies of wheat and medicines, while the Russian official expressed his country’s readiness to continue work in Syria’s oil fields.
Syrian Finance Minister Mohammed Yosr Bernieh said in a statement to RIA Novosti that Syria is ready to grant Russia “huge opportunities” to support reconstruction.
Syria’s political relationship with Russia dates back to the 1970s, during the Soviet Union era. It was strengthened under former president Hafez al-Assad, continued under Bashar al-Assad, and became one of the main pillars supporting his rule.
After the fall of the former Syrian regime, relations with Syria’s new administration shifted from war to coolness that initially dominated the political scene, then moved toward attempts to reset problems and resume ties, culminating in Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa’s visit to the Kremlin.
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