Putin met with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa. The main thing

On January 28, Russian President Vladimir Putin met with President of the Syrian Arab Republic Ahmed al-Sharaa. As Dmitry Peskov, the Russian leader's press secretary, said earlier, the main topics for discussion will be cooperation between Russia and Syria, primarily in the economic sphere, the situation in the region, as well as the issue of the Russian military in the Arab Republic. The main quotes of the Russian leader are in the Izvestia article.

On Russian-Syrian relations

During a meeting in the Kremlin with Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, Putin noted that much had been done to develop relations between Russia and Syria.

"A lot has been done in terms of restoring our interstate relations," Putin said during the meeting.

He also pointed out that the countries have managed to get off the ground and the level of cooperation in the economic sphere: "more than four percent growth, it may not be as ambitious as we would like, but still the movement is noticeable, and it is necessary to maintain this remarkable trend."

Putin added that much is being done to develop relations between the two countries in all areas, and also recalled that the relations between the two countries have deep roots.

"Russian-Syrian relations have deep roots. Back in 1944, the Second World War was underway, and the Soviet Union and Syria signed corresponding agreements on diplomatic relations. All these years, there have never been any dark pages at the interstate level. But now, in the new realities, thanks, among other things, and primarily to your efforts, relations between Syria and Russia are developing," Putin stated.

On the restoration of Syria

The Russian leader also said that representatives of the Russian construction sector are ready to work together to rebuild Syria.

"I know that a lot of things will need to be restored in Syria. And our economy operators, including the construction sector, are ready for this joint work," he said.

Putin added that Russia had been monitoring the Syrian president's efforts to restore the country's territorial integrity. He added that this process is gaining momentum.

"We have always advocated the restoration of the territorial integrity of Syria, as you know, and we support all your efforts in this direction," he said.

About events

The Russian President pointed out that Moscow and Damascus have planned good events in various areas. He added that Russian agencies are actively working after the previous visit of the Syrian president.

"A large interdepartmental delegation of the Russian government visited Syria and worked very actively with colleagues in Syria. So we have planned good events in this regard, both in industry and in humanitarian agencies, including sports, medicine, and construction," Putin said.

The Syrian knot: why al-Sharaa came to Putin

The experts spoke about the key topics on the agenda of the meeting.

Context

Ahmed al-Sharaa made his first visit to Russia in mid-October 2025. Then the Russian side confirmed its position on the need to preserve the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria, and also promised to take part in the reconstruction of the country.

Ahmed al-Sharaa's current visit took place on the eve of the anniversary of his proclamation as President of Syria (he took office on January 29, 2025 after the change of power in Damascus in December 2024). In addition, the meeting coincided with Russia's withdrawal of troops from the Al-Qamishli airfield in northeastern Syria, where the Russian Federation has deployed a military contingent since 2019. Some of the military personnel will be transferred to the Russian Khmeimim airbase in the west of the country, while others will return to Russia.