A Russian delegation, led by Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov, arrived in the Syrian capital of Damascus on Tuesday, marking the first visit to the country by Russian representatives since the overthrow of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The delegation met with Ahmed al-Saraj, the new head of the Syrian administration and Alexander Lavrentyev, Vladimir Putin’s special envoy for Syria.
After the meeting in Damascus, Bogdanov told journalists that Russia had expressed gratitude to the Syrian side for not causing harm to Russian citizens or institutions during the recent events. He also expressed hope that this line would be maintained and that Russia’s interests in Syria would not be harmed.
Regarding the future of Russian military bases in Syria, the Russian deputy foreign minister stated: “For now, everything remains as it is. We have agreed to continue detailed discussions in all areas of our cooperation.”
According to the high-ranking diplomat, the new Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani is welcome in Russia. “We have said that we are always ready to continue our contacts, both in Syria and in Russia” emphasized Bogdanov. “If such a wish exists, we would be glad to see the foreign minister in Moscow.”
A statement from the new Syrian government on Wednesday said that Damascus is determined to cooperate with all parties to build a future for Syria based on justice, dignity and sovereignty. In the restoration of Syrian-Russian relations, the mistakes of the past must be overcome and the will of the Syrian people and their interests must be respected. The role of Russia in the reconstruction of the country was also discussed during the talks with the Russian delegation.
In late November 2024, opposition groups launched a large-scale offensive against Syrian army positions in the provinces of Aleppo and Idlib. On December 7, they captured Aleppo, Daraa, Hama and Homs and a day later, Damascus. Assad stepped down as President of Syria and left the country.