Description: Syria’s foreign and defense ministers met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow where discussions were held regarding future cooperation in several sectors on a national level. Putin discussed strengthening the Syrian military through Russian deliveries of modernized equipment, technical expertise and research and development knowledge. Syrian Defense Minister, Murhaf Abu Qasra and Foreign Minister, Asaad al – Shaibani stated that Russia’s presence in Syria would remain a vital strategic asset for the reconstructing country. The meeting is a follow – up from the leaders meeting in Oct between Putin and Ahmed Al Sharaa as Russia aims at maintaining its presence in the country through it military and naval bases in Khmeimim and Tartous.
Impact: Russia’s insistence to remain strategically relevant in Syria despite past hostilities is due to the country’s important role in the region as a military, energy and transportation flashpoint. The fact that Syria’s western partners in Turkey and the US as well as its Gulf partners in Saudi Arabia and Qatar have allowed for the current administration to even entertain Russian influence in the country let alone develop further and closer ties signals that western foreign policy is closely aligned with Russia’s foreign policy and the Gulf states for the future Syrian country. Al Sharaa in his rise was mainly propped by Turkey which is the main supposed initiator of Syria adopting a strategically ambiguous approach through devising closer ties with rivaling global powers such as Russia or the US in parallel. The meeting also arrives after renewed armed clashes between the Syrian National Army and the Kurdish SDF which was a stark reminder of the high level of division and ethnic animosities in the country. Despite still being heavily destabilized, Syria’s latest administration is slowly developing the potential for national unity and a prosperous country in the long – term that could juggle between prioritizing interests from greater regional and global powers.