Syria's al-Sharaa meets Putin during his first Russia visit
Editor's note: The story was updated with additional details.
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa met Russian President Vladimir Putin for talks on Oct. 15 as part of his first official trip to Russia.
The meeting's agenda was set to include regional and international developments, as well as bilateral cooperation, according to the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA).
The visit comes as the Kremlin seeks to strengthen ties with the new leadership in Damascus after the toppling of Russia's ally, dictator Bashar al-Assad, in December 2024.
Putin lauded the "friendly" relationship between Syria and Russia during the meeting. The Syrian leader, in turn, said his government would respect all previously concluded agreements and seek to determine a new character of bilateral relations, Russian state news agency TASS reported.
The Syrian president arrived in Moscow earlier in the day, accompanied by Syria's Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani and Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra.
Citing an undisclosed source, AFP reported that al-Sharaa intends to ask Putin to hand over Assad and "all individuals who committed war crimes" in Syria.
Moscow was set to hold a Russia-Arab summit on Oct. 15, but reportedly canceled the event after only a few leaders, including al-Sharaa, confirmed their attendance.
The snub came after Russia also failed to secure an invitation to the signing of a Gaza peace deal in Egypt on Oct. 13, co-chaired by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Russia has backed the Assad regime in the Syrian civil war while maintaining military bases in the country. The Syrian dictator fled to Russia after his ousting in a lightning rebel offensive led by al-Sharaa, a former Al Qaeda affiliate, in late 2024.
Despite the past Russian support for Assad, al-Sharaa has said he aims to maintain a stable relationship with Moscow.
Al-Sharaa held a phone call with Putin last February, during which the Kremlin's chief "reaffirmed Russia's support for Syria's unity, sovereignty and stability," SANA wrote.
Putin also reportedly voiced readiness to reconsider agreements signed with the deposed Assad regime and stressed the need to lift sanctions on Syria.
Syria's new president also sought to develop ties with the West. Following his meeting with Trump in Saudi Arabia in May, Washington eased some of the sanctions on Syria, while the EU lifted all previously imposed economic restrictions.
Oleg Sukhov
