Syrian leader seeks reset in Russia relations in Putin meeting

MOSCOW: Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa said Wednesday he wanted to “redefine” relations with Moscow as Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted him in their first meeting since key Kremlin ally Bashar al-Assad was ousted last year.

In front of the television cameras, Putin greeted Sharaa warmly at the Kremlin, but behind closed doors the Syrian leader was expected to push for Moscow to extradite Assad, who fled there after being toppled.

The two were also expected to discuss the status of Russia’s prized military bases in Syria — the naval base in Tartus and air base at Hmeimim — the fate of which has been uncertain since the rebel takeover.

Russia was a key ally of Assad during the bloody 14-year Syrian civil war, providing vital military support that kept his forces in power.

He was ousted last December in an offensive led by Sharaa’s Islamist forces, fleeing to Russia, which has been sheltering him and his family for the past 10 months. In remarks at the start of the meeting, Sharaa acknowledged the two countries’ historic ties but said he wanted a recalibration, as he brings Damascus in from isolation on the world stage.

“We are trying to restore and redefine in a new way the nature of these relations so there is independence for Syria, sovereign Syria, and also its territorial unity and integrity and its security stability,” Sharaa told Putin.

Putin hails ‘special relations’

The Russian leader hailed “special relations” between the two countries that “have developed between our countries over many decades”.

Neither publicly mentioned Assad or the Russian bases, the main sticking points in the relationship.

Al-Sharaa said before the meeting: “We respect all previous agreements,” without elaborating.

After the meeting, which according to Russian state media lasted for more than two and a half hours, Moscow said it was ready to continue its role in Syria’s crude oil production.