The Kremlin confirmed that Vladimir Putin will meet with Bashar al-Assad on Wednesday. (File)
Moscow:
Russian President Vladimir Putin will maintain talks with Syria’s chief Bashar al-Assad in Moscow on Wednesday, the Kremlin mentioned, as relations between Center East states bear a realignment.
Russia has been one in every of Syria’s few allies throughout its years of struggle and political isolation.
“Topical problems with additional growth of Russian-Syrian cooperation within the political, commerce, financial and humanitarian spheres, in addition to prospects for a complete settlement of the scenario in and round Syria shall be mentioned,” the Kremlin mentioned in an announcement on Tuesday.
Assad’s workplace mentioned he had arrived in Moscow for an official go to throughout which he would meet with Putin.
In an announcement, it mentioned that the Syrian president had been greeted on arrival by Putin’s particular consultant Mikhail Bogdanov and the Russian ambassador to Damascus Alexander Yefimov.
Assad was accompanied by a “giant ministerial delegation”, mentioned the Syrian presidency assertion.
Damascus is a staunch ally of Moscow which intervened within the Syrian battle in 2015 by launching air strikes to help the federal government’s struggling forces.
With that help, in addition to from Iran, Damascus gained again a lot of the territory it had misplaced within the struggle’s early levels.
The Syrian civil struggle has killed round half 1,000,000 folks and displaced hundreds of thousands extra because it began in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests.
Assad’s authorities has been politically remoted within the area for the reason that begin of the battle, however he has been receiving calls and support from Arab leaders after a February 6 earthquake that killed tens of 1000’s in Turkey and Syria.
Analysts say he might leverage this momentum to bolster regional help.
After the quake Putin provided Russian support to Turkey and Syria.
Syria’s struggle led to strained relations between Damascus and Ankara, which has lengthy supported insurgent teams against Assad.
However analysts have mentioned Moscow is attempting to bridge the divide between its two allies, united by a typical “enemy” — Kurdish forces in northern Syria, described as “terrorists” by Ankara and backed by Washington.
In December the defence ministers of Russia, Turkey and Syria met in Moscow for the primary such talks for the reason that Syrian struggle started.
Assad had in January mentioned a Russian-brokered rapprochement with Turkey ought to purpose for “the tip of occupation” by Ankara of elements of Syria.
Media studies on Tuesday mentioned ties between Damascus and Ankara can be among the many matters for Putin and Assad.
Their assembly additionally follows the shock announcement on Friday of a Chinese language-brokered restoration of diplomatic ties between the Center East’s main rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran.
Assad has not visited Moscow since September 2021, when he additionally met Putin.
(Aside from the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is revealed from a syndicated feed.)
