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This is the second time that President Vladimir V. Putin has hosted President Ahmed al-Sharaa since the fall of the Russia-backed Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad.
Jan. 28, 2026Updated 11:02 a.m. ET
President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia welcomed President Ahmed al-Sharaa of Syria in Moscow on Wednesday as the two leaders work to establish a new relationship between their countries more than a year after the fall of the Russian-backed Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad.
The trip is Mr. al-Sharaa’s second to Russia since he seized power in Syria in late 2024, sweeping across the country into Damascus, the capital, and forcing Mr. al-Assad to flee into a gilded exile in Russia.
Mr. al-Sharaa, a onetime Qaeda fighter turned rebel commander and statesman, has taken a pragmatic approach to Moscow, despite spending years on the battlefield under Russian airstrikes. He has said that Syria is not in a position to be antagonizing world powers, and he has asked Russia to aid Syria in its reconstruction.
At the same time, he has said that Mr. al-Assad must be brought to justice and requested that Russia extradite him to Syria. Mr. al-Assad and many others in his top circles fled to Russia after the government’s collapse.
Mr. Putin appeared alongside Mr. al-Sharaa at the Kremlin ahead of their meeting and said that Russian sports, medicine and construction sector officials were engaging with Syrian counterparts as the two governments increased their economic ties.
“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,” Mr. Putin said.
