Syria ministers meet Putin to discuss defence, economic cooperation

Syria's foreign and defence ministers met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Tuesday to discuss expanding military, political and economic cooperation, with a focus on strategic collaboration in defence industries, Syria's state news agency SANA reported.

In October, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa paid an official visit to Russia, where he said his government would honour all past deals struck between Damascus and Moscow, a pledge that suggested Russia's two main military bases in Syria were secure. Putin said at the time that Moscow was ready to do all it could to act on what he called "many interesting and useful beginnings" discussed by the two sides on renewing relations.

Russia used its military power for years to back Sharaa's predecessor, Bashar al-Assad, against Syrian rebels. Assad was toppled when rebels led by Sharaa took power in December last year, and Moscow later granted him and his family asylum.

On Tuesday, Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani and Defence Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra discussed ways to develop military cooperation to strengthen the Syrian army's defensive capabilities, including by modernising equipment and transferring expertise, SANA said.

Their talks also covered the need for closer political coordination and stronger economic and investment ties, including cooperation on reconstruction and infrastructure projects in Syria.

Earlier, Russia's state news agency cited Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova as saying that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov would hold talks with his Syrian counterpart, al-Shibani.