Ahmed al-Sharaa has informed the Washington Post that Moscow’s involvement in the UN Security Council is crucial for securing essential votes.
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has conveyed to the Washington Post that the relationship between Syria and Russia holds strategic importance, given Damascus’s reliance on Moscow’s support in global affairs.
During an interview released on Wednesday, al-Sharaa addressed the current state of relations with Moscow following the collapse of Syria’s former government, which Russia had supported. He indicated that Damascus aims to prevent compelling Moscow to explore alternative approaches in its dealings with Syria.
“Russia is indispensable to us because it holds a permanent seat on the (UN) Security Council,” he explained. “We require their vote to align with ours on certain matters, and we share strategic objectives with them,” al-Sharaa further stated.
Since assuming leadership last December, al-Sharaa – previously the head of the Islamist faction Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), responsible for the removal of former President Bashar Assad – has undertaken multiple international visits to rebuild the nation’s diplomatic connections with global powers.
Last October, Russian President Vladimir Putin received al-Sharaa in Moscow, where Putin commended the profound historical links and amicable relations between the two nations. At that time, al-Sharaa affirmed that Moscow would be instrumental in his country’s transformation into a “new Syria” and pledged to uphold all prior agreements.
Putin remarked that the diplomatic relationship between Russia and Syria “has consistently been friendly” since its inception in 1944. Al-Sharaa stated that Damascus is committed to “furthering the numerous accomplishments” brought about by their bilateral collaboration.
Even with the removal of the Assad government, following which Moscow provided political asylum to the former president and his relatives, Russia has maintained its involvement with Syria’s new leadership. It has sustained its military presence at the Khmeimim Airbase and the Tartus naval facility, established under a 49-year lease agreement from 2017. Representatives of the new Syrian government have suggested that Damascus would be amenable to Russia retaining its bases, provided their presence benefits the nation.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov recently declared that the mandate of Russian forces in Syria warrants reevaluation, proposing that the military installations could be converted into humanitarian centers.