In his first official visit to Russia, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani has led a high-level delegation to strengthen relations with Moscow amid Syria’s political transition, according to Arab News.
First Official Engagement
Al-Shaibani’s visit to Moscow serves as the first official engagement between the two nations since the fall of former President Bashar Al-Assad – a move that ended almost five decades of Assad family rule.
During the visit, Al-Shaibani held a significant meeting with his Russian Counterpart Sergey Lavrov at the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Guest House.
He unveiled Syria’s keenness to build a “correct and sound relationship” with Moscow based on “cooperation and mutual respect.”
Moreover, he underscored that the new government represents a vision of unity and reconstruction for Syria, which has suffered long years of conflict and instability.
“We are here today to represent the new Syria, and we have worked since December 8th to fill the political, civil, and service vacuum. We have preserved civil institutions and are working to reunite Syrians at home and abroad,” Al-Shaibani said.
Russia’s Interest in Backing Syria
Meanwhile, Lavrov emphasized Russia’s interest in supporting Syria during its transitional phase.
“We are closely following the ongoing events in Syria. We sincerely hope the friendly Syrian people, with whom we have historically cooperative relations, will overcome current challenges,” he said.
Lavrov also expressed hope that Syria’s President Ahmad Al-Sharaa would attend the first Russian-Arab summit on October 15th.
Current Challenges
Crucially, uncertainty still lingers over the future of Russia’s military presence in Syria. The naval base in Tartus and the air base at Hmeimim—Moscow’s only official military outposts beyond the former Soviet Union—are now in question. It is still unclear whether the new Syrian government will permit their continued operation.
Al-Shaibani acknowledged these challenges. However, he called the moment an opportunity to “build a united and strong Syria,” expressing hope that Moscow would support Damascus in this endeavor.
“The current period is full of various challenges and threats, but it is also an opportunity to build a united and strong Syria. And, of course, we are interested in having Russia by our side on this path,” Al-Shaibani said.
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