Syria's Sharaa turns to Russia amid SDF clashes, Israeli incursions
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa on Wednesday made his second visit to Russia since he assumed power nearly 14 months ago, as the two sides attempt to repair relations and decide on Russia's future military presence in Syria.
Syria's former president, Bashar al-Assad, fled to Moscow as rebels took over Damascus in December 2024. He is believed to still be there now.
"I want to congratulate you on the fact that the process of restoring the territorial integrity of Syria is gaining momentum," Russian President Vladimir Putin told Sharaa at the outset of their meeting.
In recent days, the US-backed, largely Kurdish-populated Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) - which was at the forefront of the fight against the Islamic State (IS) militant group - has faced a rapid advance by Syrian government forces into areas it had controlled since 2012.
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Under mounting pressure, the SDF signed an agreement with Damascus on 18 January, providing for a gradual reassertion of state authority across the region.
But it hasn't come without violent clashes.
Sharaa told Putin that Russia "plays an important role in stabilising" both Syria and the region as a whole.
Earlier this week, the Reuters news agency reported that Russia was withdrawing forces from Qamishli airport in northeast Syria, although it was expected to maintain its larger Hmeimim air base and Tartous naval facility on Syria's Mediterranean coast.
An unnamed Syrian source told Reuters that the withdrawal is likely a gesture of goodwill, and a way of signalling that Moscow does not wish to be dragged into the fighting between Syrian forces and the SDF.
However, it's no secret that Putin wishes to preserve Russian influence over Syria and its neighbours.
Reuters further reported that Sharaa is in fact seeking greater Russian engagement in future security arrangements in southern Syria, including a military police presence in Quneitra, in the Golan Heights, to serve as a buffer against Israeli incursions.
Washington's take
That request comes as the US is pressing Israel and Syria to finalise a security agreement by March, with several sources briefed on the matter expecting that the deal could be announced “soon”.
However, a major obstacle remains: the presence of Israeli troops on Mount Hermon. Both sides are digging in, sources told Middle East Eye for an earlier article.
US President Donald Trump called Sharaa on Tuesday. The issue was also discussed during the conversation, according to a source briefed on the call.
“Trump told Sharaa that he had given Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a month to finalise the security deal with Damascus,” the source said.
“Significant progress has been made in the talks with Israel. The only issue is Jabal al-Sheikh (Mount Hermon). There is agreement on the rest.”
A Gulf official briefed on the talks confirmed the one-month timeline.
Trump also told Sharaa that he wanted to see a unified Syria, not "multiple Syrias", according to the first source.
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