Syria’s new president, Russia’s leader make first contact since al-Assad’s fall

Rebels led by al-Sharaa’s Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group ousted Moscow’s close ally in December after a lightning offensive, and questions have remained over the fate of Russia’s two military bases in the war-torn country.

During the phone call on Wednesday, al-Sharaa emphasised “the strong strategic ties between the two countries and Syria’s openness to all parties” in a way that serves “the interests of the Syrian people and strengthens Syria’s stability and security”, a statement by the Syrian presidency said.

It also said Putin extended “an official invitation to Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani to visit Russia”.

“The Russian side emphasised its principled position in support of the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Syrian state,” the Kremlin said in a statement.

Moscow helped keep al-Assad in power when it intervened militarily in Syria’s war in 2015, launching devastating air strikes on rebel-held areas.

When rebels swept into Damascus in December, Russia granted the former president asylum, angering many Syrians, including the country’s new rulers.

Russia is seeking to secure its naval base in Tartus and its airbase at Khmeimim – both on Syria’s Mediterranean coast and Moscow’s only military bases outside the former Soviet Union – with the new Syrian authorities.

Last month, there were reports that Syria had demanded the return of al-Assad in exchange for allowing Moscow to maintain its military bases.

The bases have proven vital to Russia’s international ambitions, serving as a launchpad for operations in support of al-Assad as well as staging grounds for Moscow to project influence across the Mediterranean region and Africa.