A high-level Russian delegation arrived in Damascus on Tuesday as Syria’s new government and Moscow moved to redefine their relationship following the fall of the Assad regime. Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak, who headed the delegation, was received at Damascus International Airport by Maher al-Sharaa, secretary-general of the presidency. The visit included talks at Tishreen Palace on economic, security and political cooperation.
The trip marked the second by a senior Russian official since December’s overthrow of the Assad regime. It comes amid preparations for President Ahmad al-Sharaa’s planned October visit to Moscow for the Arab-Russian summit, a meeting Novak described as pivotal for the future of bilateral ties.
Syria Outlines Conditions for Cooperation
Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani said Damascus seeks a relationship with Russia built on transparency, sovereignty and equal footing. “Our relationship with Russia is deep and has gone through moments of friendship and cooperation, but the balance in it has not been present, and any foreign presence on our soil must be to help the Syrian people build their future,” Shaibani said in remarks carried by state media.
He welcomed Russian participation in reconstruction, energy, agriculture and health “on a fair and transparent basis” and emphasized that stability would create more opportunities for cooperation while weakening the prospects of chaos and terrorism.
Shaibani also noted that Syria had inherited a tainted legacy from the ousted Assad regime, including its internationally condemned chemical weapons program. He said the caretaker government has cooperated with the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to “prove that it is a country that seeks peace.”
Russia Signals Intent for Lasting Partnership
Novak said his delegation’s visit aimed to “discuss some important trends of bilateral cooperation” and signaled Moscow’s readiness to enter what he called “a new historical stage” with Syria. “We hope this relationship will continue to grow for the benefit of the two peoples and the two countries,” he said.
The Russian official stressed his government’s respect for Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. He also underlined that Moscow was preparing to host President Sharaa, calling the upcoming summit an important opportunity for building regional stability. The delegation included senior officials from Russia’s construction, defense and foreign affairs ministries, according to TASS.
Regional Tensions Underscore Talks
Shaibani used the occasion to highlight ongoing security threats, particularly repeated Israeli strikes inside Syria. He called the attacks a “direct threat to the stability of the region” and accused Israel of attempting to impose “a divisive reality” on Syrian territory.
Tuesday’s visit built on a series of earlier contacts, including Shaibani’s July 31 trip to Moscow and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov’s January visit to Damascus. Alongside diplomatic talks, Syrian and Russian defense officials held meetings to review security coordination and the future of military cooperation. The discussions included Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yunus-Bek Yevkurov and Syrian Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qusra, who previously met in Moscow in July.
Officials described the dialogue as focused on ensuring stability, protecting Syria’s sovereignty and assessing Russia’s role in reconstruction-linked security arrangements. Both sides have framed these exchanges as efforts to chart a course distinct from Moscow’s past alliance with the Assad regime, which Russia supported militarily from 2015 until its collapse in 2024.
