Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to host Syrian President, Bashar al-Assad for talks in the Kremlin on Wednesday, March 15, 2023. The discussions are expected to focus on rebuilding Syria after a devastating civil war.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad arrived in Moscow on Tuesday, March 14, 2023. He was received by Putin’s special representative for the Middle East, Mikhail Bogdanov, at Moscow’s Vnukovo international airport.
According to a statement carried by Russia’s state news agency, “further development of Russian-Syrian cooperation in the political, trade, economic and humanitarian spheres, as well as the prospects for a comprehensive settlement of the situation in and around Syria,” will be on the agenda.
Wednesday’s meeting coincides with the anniversary of Syria’s 12-year uprising-turned-civil war that has killed nearly 500,000 people and displaced half of the country’s prewar population.
Kremlin Spokesman, Dmitry Peskov averred that the two leaders will talk about “postwar reconstruction and the continuation of the peace process in all of its aspects with an emphasis on the absolute priority of Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
Their meeting also follows the surprise announcement on Friday of a Chinese-brokered restoration of diplomatic ties between the Middle East’s major rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran.
Russia has waged a military campaign in Syria since September 2015, teaming up with Iran to allow Assad’s government to fight back armed opposition groups and to reclaim control over most of the country.
While Russia has concentrated its military resources in Ukraine, Moscow has maintained its military foothold in Syria and kept its warplanes and troops there. Moscow has also provided robust political support to Assad at the United Nations and actively mediated to help repair his government’s ties with regional powers.
Prior to the deadly February 6 earthquake that killed 50,000 people in Turkey and Syria, Russia had been mediating talks between the two quake-hit countries.
Turkey and Syria have been on opposite sides in Syria’s civil war for more than a decade. Turkey continues to back armed opposition groups that control an enclave in northwestern Syria. In December, Moscow hosted surprise talks between the Syrian and Turkish Defense Ministers.
The Syrian, Turkish and Russian Deputy Foreign Ministers as well as a senior adviser to their Iranian counterpart are also set to hold talks on Wednesday and Thursday, March 16, 2023 in Moscow to discuss “counterterrorism efforts” in Syria.
Syrian-Turkish Relations To Be Discussed
Asked if Putin’s talks with Assad could play a role in restoring Syria’s ties with Turkey, Dmitry Peskov replied that “the issue of the Syrian-Turkish relations will undoubtedly be part of the talks’ agenda.”
Syria is a staunch ally of Moscow which intervened in the Syrian conflict in 2015 by launching air strikes to support the government’s struggling forces.
Assad’s government has been politically isolated in the region since the start of the conflict, but he has been receiving calls and aid from Arab leaders after a February 6 earthquake that killed tens of thousands in Turkey and Syria. Analysts say he could leverage this momentum to bolster regional support.
Syria’s war led to strained relations between Syria and Turkey. However, analysts have disclosed that Moscow is trying to bridge the divide between its two allies, united by a common “enemy”; Kurdish forces in northern Syria, described as “terrorists” by Ankara and backed by Washington.
In January, 2023, Assad said that a Russian-brokered reconciliation with Turkey should aim for “the end of occupation” by Ankara of parts of Syria.
Bashar al-Assad has not visited Moscow since September 2021, when he also met President Vladimir Putin.
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