Overview
- Syrian interim President Ahmed al‑Sharaa met Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Jan. 28 for talks the Kremlin said would cover Russia’s military presence, bilateral ties and regional issues.
- Russia has pulled back from positions at Qamishli in northeast Syria, concentrating on negotiating continued access to the Hmeimim air base and the Tartus naval facility.
- Senior Russian officials, including Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Defense Minister Andrey Belousov and military intelligence chief Igor Kostyukov, attended, signaling parallel discussions on reconstruction, security cooperation and potential defense deals.
- Al‑Sharaa has repeatedly requested the extradition of ousted leader Bashar al‑Assad from Russia, and the Kremlin has not indicated it will comply.
- A fragile truce between Damascus and the Kurdish‑led SDF remains in place after government gains in Raqqa and Deir ez‑Zor, with local media reporting a 15‑day extension to the ceasefire.