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The meeting in Moscow between President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia and President Ahmed al-Shara of Syria showcased the adaptability of two leaders once at odds.
Oct. 15, 2025, 9:39 a.m. ET
President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia welcomed President Ahmed al-Shara of Syria for talks at the Kremlin on Wednesday, a remarkable scene in a country that is harboring the new Syrian leader’s toppled predecessor and enemy, Bashar al-Assad.
The meeting demonstrated a clear desire by both the Russian and Syrian leaders to open a new chapter in relations between Moscow and Damascus. During Syria’s 13-year civil war, Mr. Putin backed Mr. al-Assad but ultimately failed to prop him up when Mr. al-Shara’s rebel forces stormed Damascus in December.
For Mr. al-Shara, a former Qaeda operative who for years led his rebel forces under brutal Russian airstrikes in Syria, the meeting marked a clear victory. Despite having backed Mr. al-Assad in the war, Mr. Putin welcomed Mr. al-Shara in a gilded Kremlin hall, a calculated gesture as Moscow looks to retain its longstanding military bases in Syria.
For Mr. Putin, the summit demonstrated his agility as a geopolitical tactician and his willingness to shift messaging drastically to suit Russia’s interests. In opening remarks, Mr. Putin underscored decades of friendly relations between Moscow and Damascus, dating back to 1944.
“During this time, relations between Syria and Russia have always been exclusively friendly,” Mr. Putin said. “We in Russia have never had any relations with Syria that were tied to our political circumstances or special interests. Throughout these decades, we have always been guided by one thing: the interests of the Syrian people.”
Mr. al-Shara thanked the Russian leader for welcoming him to Moscow and expressed an openness to reboot relations between their nations.
“We are working to restore and define the nature of this relationship in a new way,” Mr. al-Shara said.
He added that Russia would play a role in the development of postwar Syria, describing a “long historic relationship” between the nations defined by “common interests.” He noted that a large part of Syria’s energy sector depended on Russian expertise.
The Syrian leader said that Damascus respected agreements signed with Moscow, without specifically mentioning the military bases.
After having fought against Russian forces for years, Mr. al-Shara has been trying to neutralize external threats to Syria while his government attempts to consolidate control over a nation still fractured by years of war.
Mr. Putin congratulated him on the parliamentary elections that Syria held this month, the first elections in the nation since Mr. Assad’s ouster.
“This is a great success for you, as it leads to the consolidation of society,” Mr. Putin said. “Despite Syria currently going through difficult times, it will nevertheless strengthen ties and interaction between all political forces in Syria.”
The meeting between the two leaders came in place of a broader summit between Russia and Arab nations. That meeting was scrapped as leaders instead converged on Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, for a conference devoted to ending the war in Gaza. Mr. Putin was supposed to have welcomed an array of leaders from the Middle East to Moscow this week.
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Mr. al-Shara is turning to Moscow for assistance in his efforts to rebuild his nation and consolidate control. A Kurdish-led militia backed by the United States still holds much of northeast Syria, and militias from the Druse minority have maintained power over one southern province. That has complicated Mr. al-Shara’s desire to unify Syria under his government.
Mr. al-Shara’s bid to strengthen his relationship with Moscow also reflects his approach so far on the international stage. He has sought to strengthen his government’s ties to other nations, even engaging in talks with Israel, once Syria’s sworn enemy.
Anton Mardasov, a Russian military affairs expert, said that the Russian authorities wanted to maintain their air bases and port access in Syria, the only country in the Middle East where the Kremlin has a permanent military footprint. Moscow has used the Hmeimim Air Base in Syria as a logistics hub for Russian operations in Africa.
Mr. Mardasov said that Mr. al-Shara was likely to press Moscow to extradite Mr. al-Assad to Syria, knowing that Mr. Putin was unlikely to agree.
“Al-Shara is simply obliged to raise this issue primarily for domestic political purposes, otherwise his allies will not understand him,” Mr. Mardasov said. “Essentially, this is a protocol issue, which Damascus needs to address for various reasons, but they are well aware that Moscow cannot agree to this for image reasons.”
Euan Ward and Christina Goldbaum contributed reporting.
Paul Sonne is an international correspondent, focusing on Russia and the varied impacts of President Vladimir V. Putin’s domestic and foreign policies, with a focus on the war against Ukraine.
