Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the Kremlin on Wednesday, marking a significant encounter amidst escalating regional tensions. The meeting focused on a wide range of issues, including global and regional developments, with a particular emphasis on the future of Syria.
During the meeting, Assad expressed his desire to discuss various scenarios for the future with Putin, highlighting his interest in understanding the evolving dynamics of the region. Putin acknowledged the escalating tensions, stating that “there is a tendency towards escalation, we can see that. This also applies directly to Syria.”
This meeting comes at a time when Syria is seeking Russia’s assistance in restraining Israeli military actions. Diplomatic sources have indicated that Damascus has been urging Russia to use its influence with Israel to curtail its strikes on Syrian military units. Furthermore, Syria has been pushing Iranian militias to refrain from launching rocket attacks on Israel from the Syrian Golan Heights.
The meeting also sparked speculation about a potential meeting between Assad and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan. While a Turkish diplomatic source denied earlier reports of an August meeting in Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that the meeting between Putin and Assad covered a broad spectrum of topics, including the possibility of an Erdogan-Assad encounter.
Although Peskov declined to provide specifics, he acknowledged that the meeting addressed “all topics related to the situation in the region around Syria,” implying that the possibility of an Erdogan-Assad meeting was discussed.
It is worth noting that Russia has been a staunch supporter of Assad throughout the Syrian civil war, playing a pivotal role in turning the tide of the conflict in his favor. The West, however, has called for Assad’s departure from power. This meeting signifies the continued close ties between Russia and Syria and highlights the ongoing complexities of the Syrian conflict amidst broader regional tensions.
