Syria ministers discuss military cooperation with Putin in Russia: Report

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Syria’s foreign and defense ministers met in Moscow to discuss expanding “strategic cooperation in the military industries sector,” according to Syrian state media.

According to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), Putin’s meeting with the minister of defense and the minister of foreign affairs of Syria, Asaad Hassan Al-Shaibani, on Tuesday focused on “mutual interest” political, economic, and military issues, with “particular emphasis” on defense.

Putin and the Syrian ministers discussed a number of issues relating to the defense, including expanding military cooperation, modernizing the Syrian army’s equipment, and transferring expertise and cooperation in research and development, according to SANA.

According to SANA, “both sides discussed ways to advance military and technical partnership in a way that strengthens the Syrian Arab Army’s defensive capabilities and keeps up with modern developments in military industries.”

According to the news agency, the two sides also discussed political and economic issues, including the “importance of continued political and diplomatic coordination between Damascus and Moscow in international forums.”

On the economic front, the discussions focused on boosting Russian-Syrian cooperation, including in terms of reconstruction initiatives, infrastructure development, and investment.

Putin reiterated “Moscow’s condemnation of repeated Israeli violations of Syrian territory, which he described as a direct threat to regional security and stability,” while also reaffirming Russia’s “steady support” for Syria and its territorial integrity.

The ministers’ recent visit to Moscow comes as a result of Syria’s new administration’s removal from power of Bashar al-Assad, its longtime leader and Moscow’s ex-alleyer, in December.

Russia’s key supporter of al-Assad during Syria’s nearly 14-year civil war included Russian air support that rained air strikes on rebel-held areas, which provided essential military support for the Assad regime.

Moscow is eager to establish positive relations with the new government in Damascus despite al-Assad and his family escaping to Russia after the regime was overthrown.

Moscow is particularly interested in obtaining agreements to keep operating the Tartous naval base and Khmeimim airbase on Syria’s Mediterranean coast, where Russian forces are still stationed.

Ahmed al-Sharaa, Syria’s new president, traveled to Russia in October, where he stated that his country would honor all previous agreements reached between Moscow and Damascus, which suggested that the two Russian military installations were secure during the post-Assad regime.

Putin stated during al-Sharaa’s visit that Moscow was prepared to take all necessary steps in response to what he termed the “many interesting and useful beginnings” discussed by the two sides regarding resuming relations.

Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for the Russian government’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, claimed that during the Syrian delegation’s visit, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov would also speak with his Syrian counterpart, Al-Shaibani.

Al-Shaibani claimed that his country wanted Russia “by our side” during a July visit to Moscow.

“The present period presents numerous challenges and threats, but it also offers a chance to build a strong, united Syria,” he said. And of course, we’re interested in Russia supporting us along this path,” Al-Shaibani said at the time to Lavrov.