Syria's Ahmed al-Sharaa and Putin discuss Russia bases

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed strengthening ties on Wednesday in their first call since Damascus and Moscow reached an agreement on Russia’s military bases in Syria.

The Syrian presidency said the leaders discussed bilateral relations, regional developments and stronger cooperation in areas of shared interest. It said they emphasised continued coordination and communication in support of security and stability in Syria and the region.

The Kremlin said both leaders noted the importance of an August 9 memorandum of understanding on reorganising the Hmeimim air base and the Tartus logistics support facility.

Russia was a key ally of former Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad during Syria’s 13-year civil war and used its military intervention to strengthen its presence at Hmeimim and Tartus. Assad’s ousting in late 2024 damaged Moscow’s influence in the region.

Syria said earlier this month that it had reached an agreement with Moscow on the fate of the bases. The Syrian foreign ministry said at the time that they would become “joint training and capacity-building centres” under new arrangements intended to preserve mutual interests. It said the memorandum set a limit of no more than three months to complete the process.

Syria has also taken over Latakia’s international airport, a civilian facility next to Hmeimim whose operations were closely linked to Russia’s presence.