Putin expresses support for new Syria in phone call with Sharaa

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Russian President Vladimir Putin and Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa held a detailed exchange of views on the situation in Syria in a phone call. Putin expressed his country’s support for Sharaa’s government. 

Putin wished Sharaa “success in meeting the challenges faced by the country's new leadership for the benefit of the Syrian people, with which Russia has historically maintained friendly ties and mutually beneficial cooperation,” said the Kremlin in a statement. 

“There was a thorough exchange of views on the current situation in Syria. The Russian side has emphasized its principled stance to support the unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of the Syrian state,” it added. “Vladimir Putin has reiterated Russia's continued willingness to help improve the social and economic situation in Syria, including by providing humanitarian aid to its residents.”

Russia was a staunch supporter of Bashar al-Assad and provided military support to the regime in its years-long conflict with rebel and militia groups, including Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) which ousted Assad on December 8 and is the main force in the new Syrian government.

Assad and his family left for Moscow and were granted asylum by the Russian government as the HTS marched on Damascus. 

A Russian delegation, which included Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov and Alexander Lavrentyev, Putin’s special envoy to Syria, met with Sharaa in Damascus on January 28.

“The dialogue highlighted Russia’s role in rebuilding trust with the Syrian people through concrete measures such as reparations, reconstruction and recovery,” read a statement from Sharaa’s office at the time.