Syria president, Putin discuss deepening ties in call

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Wednesday discussed strengthening ties, the Syrian presidency said, their first call since reaching an agreement over Moscow's military bases in the country.

What did Putin and Sharaa discuss in their call?

Putin and Sharaa discussed bilateral relations, regional developments and ways to strengthen cooperation in areas of shared interest, according to the Syrian presidency. Both sides also addressed the recent agreement on reorganising Russia's military bases in Syria, which was signed earlier this month.

"The two sides emphasised the importance of continuing coordination and consultation, and strengthening communication between the two countries, in a way that serves shared interests and supports security and stability in Syria and the region," the statement added. The Kremlin said in a statement that both leaders "noted the importance of the memorandum of understanding signed on August 9 on the reorganisation of the Hmeimim air base and the Tartus logistics support facility."

Why are Russia's military bases in Syria significant?

Russia was a key ally of former Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad during the country's 13 year civil war, intervening militarily to keep him in power and strengthening its presence in the Hmeimim air base and Tartus naval base on Syria's Mediterranean coast. Assad's ousting in late 2024 dealt a major blow to Moscow's influence in the region.

Putin has since worked to build relations with the new Islamist authorities in Damascus to secure the future of the bases, the only official ones Russia has outside the former Soviet Union.

What was agreed on the future of the Hmeimim and Tartus bases?

Earlier this month, Syria said it reached an agreement with Moscow on the fate of the bases in Hmeimim and Tartus. The Syrian foreign ministry said at the time that the bases would be turned into "joint training and capacity-building centres, within new arrangements that preserve mutual interests."

The ministry said the memorandum of understanding "set a time limit of no more than three months to complete the process." Syria also took over Latakia's international airport, a civilian facility adjacent to Hmeimim whose operations were closely linked to Russia's presence. Both the Hmeimim and Tartus bases had remained operational while talks were ongoing.

How have Syria-Russia relations evolved since Assad's fall?

Damascus has expressed a willingness to cooperate with Moscow after Assad's fall, and Sharaa has visited Putin twice since then. During Sharaa's last visit in January, Putin said "much has been accomplished in terms of restoring our interstate relations," commending Sharaa for his "efforts to restore Syria's territorial integrity."