On Oct. 15 in the Kremlin, Russian President Vladimir Putin held his first meeting with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa. Accompanying Putin at the meeting were Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Defense Minister Andrei Belousov, and Putin aide Yury Ushakov, among others.
Putin’s opening remarks emphasized the longstanding relationship between the two countries: “We are delighted to welcome you to Moscow. Over the past decades, our countries have built a special relationship. We have maintained diplomatic ties for more than 80 years, first established during a very difficult period for Russia and the Soviet Union, in 1944. Throughout this time, Syria and Russia have always maintained a very friendly relationship. In Russia’s relations with Syria, we have never been guided by any momentary political considerations or vested interests. At all times, and throughout these decades, the interests of the Syrian people have remained our sole guiding principle.”
Putin referenced Syria’s Oct. 5 parliamentary election, and said, “These may be challenging times for Syria, however, holding an election could help all political forces in Syria work together more effectively and strengthen their ties.”
