Syria and Russia agree on future of Moscow's military bases

Syria and Russia have finalized a deal concerning the future of Moscow's two military bases within Syria, the Hmeimim airbase and Tartus naval base. The agreement, reached after 18 months of negotiations, designates the bases as "joint training and capacity-building centers" to uphold shared interests. A transition period of no more than three months is set for the handover, with civilian facilities at both sites to be returned to Damascus.

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the Hmeimim airbase and Tartus naval base would be converted into "joint training and capacity-building centres" under new arrangements designed to preserve mutual interests.

This development comes after the ouster of former President Bashar al-Assad in 2024, a significant blow to Russia's regional influence. Russian President Vladimir Putin has since been working to strengthen diplomatic ties with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa to secure the future of these vital overseas installations. Syria has also expressed a commitment to cooperation, with Sharaa meeting Putin twice in Moscow since the leadership change.

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much has been accomplished in terms of restoring our interstate relations

During a previous meeting in January, Putin noted "much has been accomplished in terms of restoring our interstate relations." While Sharaa acknowledged Russia's "historic role" in Syria, Damascus has continued to demand Assad's extradition. The Syrian Foreign Minister, Asaad al-Shaibani, visited the bases on Sunday to review the facilities involved in the "historic memorandum of understanding."

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historic role