Syria’s Foreign Minister Assad al-Shaibani arrived in Moscow on Thursday, marking the first official visit by a Syrian official to Russia since the fall of President Bashar al-Assad’s government in December.
Al-Shaibani met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and President Vladimir Putin, while Syrian Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra held separate talks with Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov. Official readouts indicated that the discussions centered on strengthening bilateral ties, a relationship both sides appear committed to maintaining—even though Russia had supported Assad against the authorities who now comprise Syria’s new government.
During the visit, al-Shaibani expressed Syria’s intention to continue its strategic partnership with Moscow, stating that Damascus wanted Russia “by our side” in building a unified and stable Syria. He added that existing agreements, including those signed during the Assad era, would be subject to review.
Lavrov reaffirmed Moscow’s support for Syria’s unity and sovereignty. However, the country remains fragmented: Kurdish forces continue to control much of the northeast, while Druze communities in the south operate with considerable autonomy from Damascus.
Lavrov also extended an invitation to Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa to attend a Russia–Arab League summit scheduled for October 15, 2025.
Despite being on opposite sides of the Syrian civil war, the post-Assad government in Damascus has worked to preserve and even deepen its ties with Moscow since al-Sharaa assumed power. Russia continues to operate two military installations in Syria—the naval base in Tartus and an airbase near Khamenei.
In late January, less than two months after al-Sharaa's unexpected rise to power, Putin held a phone call with the interim president to emphasize Russia’s interest in maintaining its historic relationship with Syria.
Analysts suggest that Syria’s decision to sustain its partnership with Russia may also serve as a strategic counterbalance to growing Israeli influence in the country’s south. Israel has used its support for the Druze minority to increase its military and political reach in the region—developments that Damascus views as a threat to its territorial integrity.