Syria's transitional President Ahmed al-Sharaa met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin on January 28, 2026—his second visit to Moscow since ousting Bashar al-Assad in late 2024. The talks focused on bilateral ties, Russia's military presence in Syria, economic cooperation, and Middle East stability, despite Moscow's past airstrikes against al-Sharaa's forces.
Putin congratulated al-Sharaa on advances toward "Syria's territorial integrity," likely referencing recent offensives against Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the northeast. Al-Sharaa thanked Russia for its "historic role" in regional stability while seeking reconstruction aid, including expertise for power stations and food supplies from Moscow.
At stake are Russia's key bases: Hmeimim airbase and Tartus naval facility on Syria's Mediterranean coast, vital for Moscow's Middle East projection. Russia recently withdrew from Qamishli airport in SDF-held territory near Turkey. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed discussions on "our troops in Syria," but sidestepped al-Sharaa's repeated calls to extradite Assad, now exiled in Russia with his wife.
Al-Sharaa, once a Qaeda-linked fighter who rose through HTS ranks, adopts a practical tone: Syria can't antagonize powers like Russia. Putin seeks to preserve influence post-Assad, despite strained ties from Assad's asylum. Topics also included energy, infrastructure rebuilding, and grain imports—Russia positioning itself as a key partner akin to its Assad-era role. The meeting signals Damascus rebuilding strategic bridges with Moscow amid fragile northeast ceasefires and U.S. overtures to al-Sharaa. Outcomes on bases and Assad remain unclear.
