Putin praises Syria's al-Sharaa over progress in restoring territorial integrity

Hind Al Soulia - Riyadh - MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin met his Syrian counterpart Ahmed al-Sharaa in the Kremlin on Wednesday for talks that were set to include the sensitive issue of Russia's future military presence in Syria, sources on both sides said.
In televised opening remarks, Putin told Sharaa: "I want to congratulate you on the fact that the process of restoring the territorial integrity of Syria is gaining momentum."
Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov and military intelligence chief Adm. Igor Kostyukov were among senior officials who took part in Wednesday’s Kremlin talks.
Since Sharaa's coalition toppled Russia's ally Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, Moscow has been working to build relations with him and ensure a continued military foothold in the country in order to bolster its influence in the Middle East.
The Russian military recently has begun pulling out from a base in northeastern Syria in an area still controlled by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces after the group lost most of its territory in an offensive by government forces.
Opening a meeting in Moscow with Al-Sharaa, who is making his second visit to Russia in four months, Putin expressed his support for the Syrian leader.
"We have been monitoring closely your efforts to restore the territorial integrity of Syria, and I would like to congratulate you on the fact that this process is gaining momentum. We have always stood for restoring the territorial integrity of Syria, as you are aware, and we support your efforts in this very regard," Putin said.
Putin particularly praised the advancement of the Syrian army in the Euphrates region, saying integration of this area is "critical" for the restoration of Syria.
"I hope that the integration of the Euphrates region is, without a doubt, a crucial step in this direction and that it will contribute to the restoration of Syria's territorial integrity as a whole," he said.
He also noted that thanks to the efforts of both governments, economic cooperation “moved from the dead point” and grew by some 4% recently.
"This may not be as ambitious as we would like, but it is notable. And we have to do everything to preserve this good trend," he added.
Putin highlighted the depth of Russia-Syria ties, noting that diplomatic relations were established in 1944, a difficult time for Russia, which was then fighting Nazi Germany in World War II.
He also mentioned that a large interdepartmental delegation from the Russian government recently visited Damascus and worked actively with Syrian counterparts.

Advertisements "I know that much will need to be restored in Syria, and our economic operators, including those in the construction sector, are ready for this joint work," he said.
For his part, Al-Sharaa noted that Russia and Syria have exchanged 13 delegations since December.
"We have many topics that we can work on and discuss, and I hope that we will discuss them in detail during our meeting and that it will be fruitful," he said.
Sharaa added that Syria came a long way over the past year, overcame the sanctions phase, and that its major goal now is restoring territorial integrity.
"The major challenge is the reunification of Syrian territory. We've been working on this issue since last year. Russia, of course, plays a major role in Syria, in stabilizing the situation not only in Syria but also in the region," he said.
The Syrian leader emphasized that the Middle East "is in dire need of stabilization," adding, "Therefore, thank you very much, Mr. President, for your efforts in this matter."
Earlier in the day, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said at a press briefing in Moscow that Putin and Sharaa will discuss the issues related to the presence of the Russian armed forces in Syria.
The Syrian source said a key item on the agenda was redefining the status of Russia’s military presence at Tartous and Hmeimim, which Moscow is seeking to extend under a new framework in the post-Assad period.
The source said Sharaa also intended to discuss the risk of a strike on Iran, with Damascus keen to contain any spillover from a potential US or Israeli attack, particularly given Iran’s past use of Syrian airspace to target Israel.
Al-Sharaa emphasized the importance of Russia’s role in supporting Syria’s unity and stability, Syria’s SANA state news agency reported. He noted that in 2025, Syria had overcome major challenges, the latest of which was the reunification of its territories, and he expressed hope for a transition to stability and peace, it added.
Despite having been on opposite sides from Moscow during the civil war, the interim government in Damascus has signaled readiness to develop ties in apparent hopes that Russia could help rebuild the war-shattered country and offer a way to diversify its foreign policy.
For the Kremlin, it’s essential to keep its naval and air bases on Syria’s coast, the only such outposts outside the former Soviet Union that are crucial for maintaining Russia’s military presence in the Mediterranean. — Agencies