Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa is set to travel to Moscow on Wednesday for a high-level meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to reports from Syrian state-affiliated media.
Pro-government broadcaster Syria TV first announced the planned visit on Monday, stating that President al-Sharaa “will visit Moscow and meet with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.” Multiple international outlets, including Reuters, Anadolu Agency, and Arab News, have since confirmed the development, citing Syrian sources. No official confirmation has yet come from the Kremlin or Syrian government channels, and details of the agenda remain limited.
This will mark al-Sharaa’s second known visit to Russia since assuming power following the dramatic fall of longtime leader Bashar al-Assad in late 2024. His first meeting with Putin occurred on October 15, 2025, in the Kremlin, where discussions focused on bilateral ties, economic cooperation, food security, energy, and the future of Russia’s military presence in Syria — including the strategic Hmeimim airbase and Tartus naval facility.
The upcoming summit comes at a critical juncture for post-Assad Syria, as the transitional government under al-Sharaa — formerly associated with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) — seeks to stabilize the country, secure international legitimacy, and navigate complex regional dynamics. Russia, which maintained strong support for Assad during the civil war and granted him asylum after his ouster, has pragmatically engaged with the new leadership to preserve its geopolitical foothold in the Middle East.
