Putin-al-Sharaa Summit: Russia's Middle East Pivot or Damage Control?

Syria's new president Ahmed al-Sharaa sat across from Vladimir Putin in Moscow, marking a stunning reversal in Middle Eastern geopolitics. Just over a year ago, these two men were on opposite sides of a decade-long civil war. Today, they're discussing military cooperation.

From Enemies to Partners: The Pragmatic Pivot

Al-Sharaa thanked Putin for supporting Syrian unity and praised Russia's "historic" role in regional "stability" during a pre-meeting press conference. This from the man who led opposition forces that toppled Russia's longtime ally Bashar al-Assad just months ago.

Putin responded by expressing support for al-Sharaa's stabilization efforts and congratulating him on gaining momentum toward "restoring Syria's territorial integrity." Behind the diplomatic pleasantries lies a crucial question: what happens to Russia's military presence in Syria?

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that "the presence of our soldiers in Syria" would be on the agenda. Russia maintains forces at the Khmeimim airbase and Tartous naval base along Syria's Mediterranean coast. After reportedly withdrawing from Qamishli airport in Kurdish-held northeastern Syria earlier this week, these two bases now represent Russia's only military outposts outside the former Soviet Union.

Russia's Calculated Retreat

Samuel Ramani, an associate fellow at London-based RUSI think tank, explains Moscow's initial fears: "They worried about a 'populist anti-Russia' government emerging in Damascus when Assad was overthrown. They feared he [al-Sharaa] would squeeze them out, but the Russians have been pleasantly surprised."

The surprise stems from al-Sharaa's pragmatic approach. Rather than severing ties with Russia entirely, Syria's new leadership is hedging its bets against potential political swings in Washington. "The Republicans are lenient towards Syria engaging Russia as long as they keep Iran out," Ramani notes, "whereas the Democrats have been more skeptical overall."

This calculation explains why al-Sharaa downplayed Russia's controversial role in Syria's war during his first Moscow visit in October 2025, despite Russia providing refuge to Assad and his wife after they fled Damascus.

The Broader Chess Game

For Putin, maintaining a Syrian foothold has become even more critical after losing another ally this month when the US sent special forces to abduct Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov told his Chinese counterpart on Tuesday that Moscow was "closely monitoring" situations in Venezuela and Iran.

Meanwhile, Syria's new leaders have reoriented their foreign policy toward the US, receiving reciprocal interest from the Trump administration. Yet the recent fighting between Syrian forces and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces revealed the complexity of these shifting alliances. The US initially appeared to ignore warnings against Syrian government attacks on the US-supported SDF, then later brokered a fragile ceasefire.

The Price of Pragmatism

Al-Sharaa has requested Assad's extradition and promised justice for victims of the former president's repression. Yet here he sits, shaking hands with the leader who enabled much of that repression. The contradiction highlights the tension between idealistic goals and geopolitical realities.

Russia's position reflects similar compromises. Having invested heavily in Assad's regime, Moscow now must work with the very forces that overthrew their former ally. It's a dramatic downgrade, but not a complete exclusion.