Syrian, Russian presidents to hold talks in Moscow

ALBAWABA - Syrian President Bashar Assad is scheduled to hold talks Wednesday with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Russia.

Assad arrived in the Russian capital, Moscow, Tuesday on his first official visit outside the Middle East since the devastating earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria in February.

The duration of Assad's visit was not disclosed.

A state reception was hosted for Assad upon his arrival at Vnukova International Airport. The president was accompanied by a ministerial delegation.

Assad was greeted by Mikhail Bogdanov, Putin's representative, Alexander Yefimov, the Russian ambassador to Syria, and Bashar al-Jaafari, the Syrian ambassador to Russia, according an announcement by the Syrian presidency.

The Russian and Syrian presidents are expected to hold talks Wednesday on ways to develop cooperation between the two countries in several fields, most notably political and economic, according to statements released for the press in both countries.

Assad's visit comes a day before a quadripartite meeting that includes the deputy foreign ministers of Russia, Turkey, Syria and Iran in Moscow, and before scheduled talks between the foreign ministers of the four countries later.

Assad visited Russia three times since the onset of the Syrian crisis, the last of which was in September 2021.

In 2011, a war broke out between allies of the Syrian regime and its opponents, which left hundreds of thousands dead or wounded and displaced millions. 

Russia is considered a strong ally of Syria, given that it was able to turn the course of the war in favor of the Syrian regime, and enabled it to achieve victories against the opposition, which contributed to Assad remaining in power until the present day.

The Russian army deployed thousands of its own soldiers in Syria, and the Russian Wagner Group is working closely with the Syrian forces and their allies.

Written by Razan Abdelhadi