Syrian President Meets with Putin in Moscow

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharah, leader of the al-Qaeda-aligned militia Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, recently met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. Their discussions centered on enhancing Russia’s economic footprint in Syria.

This marks Sharaa’s second trip to Moscow since the downfall of the long-time dictator Bashar al-Assad, a staunch ally of Putin. His initial visit occurred in October, right after he had a chat with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in New York, which hinted at a significant level of diplomatic cooperation. In 2024, Shara’s group broke years of deadlock in Syria’s civil war, gaining control of Aleppo and contributing to the government’s eventual collapse. Following this, Assad and his family sought asylum in Moscow in December 2024.

According to Russian news agency TASS, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov mentioned that the two leaders did not touch upon the topic of removing Assad or prosecuting him for war crimes. Instead, their conversation mainly revolved around Russia’s role in fortifying Syria’s faltering economy, with Peskov stating that there were “wide range of possibilities” for collaboration.

During the public portion of the meeting, Putin lauded Sharaa for his significant “personal efforts” to cultivate good relations with Russia, despite Sharaa’s alignment with Assad on the conflict. Both Russia and Iran have been key supporters of Assad’s regime, providing substantial military assistance since the war’s onset in 2011. Russia also maintains its military presence in Syria, effectively convincing Sharaa to do the same.

“Thanks to your individual efforts, the relations between Syria and Russia continue to progress,” Putin remarked.

The Russian leader claimed they had made progress on economic cooperation, with a growth rate exceeding 4%. While he noted that this figure might not meet ambitions, he still deemed it a positive trend worth pursuing. Putin also conveyed that cooperation is possible across various domains, including “sports, medicine, and construction,” although no specifics were shared. He proposed that Sharaa sign a contract with a Russian contractor to aid in rebuilding Syria’s major cities, many of which have been devastated by the conflict.

Putin acknowledged the pressing need for reconstruction in Syria and expressed the readiness of the economic sector, particularly construction, to engage in this effort. Additionally, he offered support to Sharaa in maintaining “territorial integrity,” which likely pertains to the ongoing tensions between HTS and the Kurdish-led autonomous region of Rojava. Recently, Sharaa signed an agreement with Gen. Mazloum Abdi, the leader of the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, to integrate SDF militias into HTS forces—a tricky undertaking given that the SDF was effectively against the Islamic State. Shortly after this agreement, reports surfaced of HTS allegedly carrying out violent attacks against Kurds, including beheadings, and of the escape of around 200 ISIS fighters from Kurdish-run prisons.

Sharaa and Putin exchanged cordial greetings, with Sharaa complimenting Russia on its resilience during Moscow’s winter and encouraging stability in Syria, according to the Kremlin.

“Unifying Syria’s territory remains a major challenge, and we’ve been consistently focused on this since last year,” Sharaa was quoted as saying. “Certainly, Russia plays a crucial role in stabilizing not just our country, but the entire region. Our area desperately needs stability, so I genuinely thank the President for his efforts.”

The Syrian Arab News Agency, under Sharaa’s control, echoed these sentiments, emphasizing Russia’s commitment to stability. Sharaa noted the “remarkable” nature of their government’s relationship with Russia, considering the turbulent history under Assad.

Also, the Kremlin indicated, while the military presence was “on the agenda,” discussions between the leaders didn’t yield clear conclusions. Russian news agencies reported that military cooperation between Syria and Russia has recently been strengthened, although details were scarce.

Sharaa’s visit followed a recent phone call with President Trump. Trump reportedly praised Sharaa, who had met him twice before, and expressed support for ongoing efforts to limit Kurdish autonomy in Syria. The Syrian news agency suggested that Trump viewed the SDF takeover and the agreement with Sharaa as crucial steps toward resolving the conflict.

Trump remarked, “I had a fantastic conversation with the respected President of Syria,” and afterward, reporters noted that the situation in Syria was “looking very good.”

“We’re quite pleased with that,” he added.