On Thursday, a high-level meeting took place in Moscow between Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Syria’s Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani. This marked the first official visit by a member of the new Syrian government to Moscow since former Syrian President Bashar Assad was deposed by a rebel insurgency last year, despite his long-standing support from Russia.
During the opening of the discussions, Lavrov expressed Russia’s desire for the Syrian populace to “overcome all existing challenges and completely normalize the situation” in their country. Al-Shibani shared a similar sentiment, emphasizing Syria’s interest in maintaining strong ties with Russia and having the nation “by our side.”
In the past, Assad acted as a significant ally of Russia, with Moscow’s military involvement a decade ago altering the course of Syria’s civil conflict and securing Assad’s rule initially. However, when a fresh insurgency took hold last year, Russia opted not to intervene once more to save Assad.
Following his removal from power, Assad found refuge in Russia, later revealing that he had intended to remain in Syria and continue fighting, but Russia had facilitated his departure.
The new interim government in Damascus, led by President Ahmad al-Sharaa, has opted for practical relations with Moscow, despite their previous opposing positions during the civil war. A Russian delegation made a visit to Damascus in January, and in the following month, a telephone conversation was held between Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and al-Sharaa, which the Kremlin characterized as “constructive and business-like.” Russian presence has been maintained on Syria’s coast, and reports have indicated that Russia continues to supply Syria with oil.
Al-Sharaa expressed gratitude towards Russia for its “strong position in rejecting Israeli strikes and repeated violations of Syrian sovereignty,” notably after Israel’s intervention in altercations involving Syrian government forces and Druze armed groups earlier in the month.
Post-discussion, Lavrov appreciated the steps Syria has taken to secure Russian citizens and facilities. He reiterated Russia’s pledge to support Syria’s unity, territorial integrity, and independence while offering assistance with reconstruction efforts after the conflict. The dialogue on these subjects is set to continue, as emphasized by Lavrov.
Al-Shibani, although not referring directly to Assad, called for Russian backing in Syria’s post-Assad “transitional justice” efforts. He noted that Syria is currently reassessing its existing agreements with Russia.
He also criticized Israel for its “interference in internal affairs,” suggesting that such actions complicate the process of resolving multi-communal conflicts within Syria. Moving forward, Al-Shibani clarified that the new government intends no hostility towards Israel, stating their desire is merely to focus on Syria’s rebuilding process after 14 tumultuous years of war.