Syria's New Head Of State Rebuffed Putin
- 19.10.2025, 16:33
Damascus is pushing for Assad's extradition.
The fate of two Russian military bases in Syria has not been resolved, despite a recent visit to Moscow by the republic's leader Ahmad al-Shaar and Putin's offer of "friendship." The countries are currently discussing a revision of the agreements, including on the said issue, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani said, The Moscow Times reported. He noted that all agreements with Russia reached under the previous regime have been suspended and unacceptable, and there are no new ones yet.
The foreign minister added that during the visit, al-Shaara touched on the fate of Syria's former dictator Bashar al-Assad, who fled to Moscow after being overthrown in December 2024, and discussed the prospects for cooperation if the differences are overcome. According to the minister, relations with Russia should be built for the benefit of the people, and the republic's authorities are not going to make any concessions that would limit the rights of Syrians. The Foreign Ministry is working to overcome the consequences of the previous diplomacy, which was "blackmail," in favor of an approach open to dialogue and cooperation, al-Shibani concluded.
On October 15, Ahmed al-Sharaa visited Russia for the first time since coming to power. The talks lasted more than two hours. The Kremlin said one of the key topics was the future of Russian military facilities in Syria: the Hmeimim airbase and the naval logistics point in Tartus. In 2017, Moscow agreed with Assad to lease them for 49 years.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the sides were currently holding closed-door talks "in the context of a possible reformatting of the functionality of Russian military facilities." The Tartus base gave Russia direct access to the Mediterranean Sea and, along with the airfield at Khmeimim, served as a key point for extending the Kremlin's influence in the Middle East and Africa, as well as a hub for the transfer of troops, mercenaries and weapons.
Two Syrian sources earlier told Reuters that al-Sharaa intends to seek Assad's extradition. In addition, the Syrian leader is counting on economic concessions from Putin. These include the resumption of grain supplies on favorable terms and compensation for war damage. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said Moscow was ready to participate in the restoration of oil projects, as well as energy, railroad and other infrastructure in Syria destroyed during the years of fighting.
Before coming to power, al-Sharaa was known as al-Julani. He headed the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (formerly Jabhat al-Nusra, one of al-Qaeda's offshoots), whose fighters toppled Assad. In 2016, the Kremlin, through the Foreign Ministry, called the group and its leader "mutants" and promised to "destroy" them. In December 2024, Russian aviation carried out airstrikes against Hayat Tahrir al-Sham positions.