Syria, Russia discuss military cooperation and reconstruction after Assad
Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Syrian foreign and defense ministers.
Syria sent a delegation to Moscow led by Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani on December 23. It includes Defense Minister Major General Murhaf Abu Qasra, and officials from the General Intelligence Directorate, according to Syrian state media SANA. The visit came after Syria had hosted a high-level Turkish delegation in Damascus.
The Syrian delegation is expected to hold talks on bilateral relations and other issues of mutual interest. According to Al-Ain media in theUAE, Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Syrian foreign and defense ministers and discussed military issues.
“This is the latest trip by the new Syrian authorities to Russia since they ousted Bashar al-Assad, a Moscow ally, last December,” Al-Ain noted.
The report said that meetings addressed various political, military and economic issues of common interest between the two countries, with a special focus on strategic cooperation in the field of military industries.
SANA media also said that the two sides discussed “ways to develop the military and technical partnership…and transfer technical and technological expertise, and cooperation in the fields of research and development, in order to contribute to strengthening the national defense system and supporting security and stability in Syria and the region.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Syrian interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa shake hands during their meeting at the Grand Kremlin Palace in Moscow on October 15, 2025. (credit: ALEXANDER ZEMLIANICHENKO/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Expanding economic and trade cooperation
There was also a focus on economic issues, which included “the prospects for expanding economic and trade cooperation between the two countries were discussed, including supporting reconstruction projects, developing infrastructure sectors, encouraging investments in Syria, in addition to enhancing trade exchange and facilitating partnerships, which will positively impact the Syrian economy and contribute to improving living conditions,” SANA said.
Russia and Syria are trying to work on how they will move forward regarding ties in the wake of the fall of the Assad regime last year.
Russia was a key partner of the Assads. However, it was also an ally of the Syrian state and Moscow and Damascus want to keep key parts of this partnership.
Russia has bases in Syria and wants to maintain its assets there. “President Putin reaffirmed Russia’s steadfast support for Syria, stressing the importance of preserving Syria’s unity, territorial integrity, and full sovereignty, and rejecting any projects aimed at partitioning the country or undermining its independent national decision.
He also renewed Moscow’s condemnation of repeated Israeli violations of Syrian territory, describing them as a direct threat to regional security and stability,” SANA said.
