Overview

• Ahmed al-Sharaa held a televised meeting with Vladimir Putin in Moscow on his first visit to Russia since Bashar al-Assad was deposed in December.
• A Syrian government official told AFP that al-Sharaa would ask Russia to hand over Assad and others accused of war crimes, a request not publicly acknowledged by Moscow.
• Putin welcomed al-Sharaa and described Russia–Syria ties as deep, saying Russian policy has been guided by the interest of the Syrian people.
• Talks were reported to cover investment, the status of Russia’s Tartus naval facility and Hmeimim air base, and rearming the new Syrian military.
• Russia was a key military patron of Assad and has hosted him in Moscow since his ouster, while al-Sharaa previously led HTS, which Russia labeled a terrorist group in 2020.