Syrian leader al-Sharaa reportedly also demands reparations as Moscow delegation seeks to secure strategic power bases.
Russia has declined to comment on reports that Syria has demanded the return of Bashar al-Assad in return for allowing Moscow to maintain its military bases in the Middle Eastern country.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov offered no response on Wednesday when asked by reporters about the claim. A high-level Russian delegation was in Syria the previous day for talks with the country’s new de facto leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa.
Al-Assad, a key Russian ally in the Middle East, fled to Moscow in December after being ousted in a lightning rebel offensive led by al-Sharaa.
His overthrow ended five decades of rule by the al-Assad family, which is accused of widespread human rights violations. His fall was a hit for Russia, which used its military bases in Syria not only to prop up al-Assad’s regime but also to project its power internationally.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Moscow said on Wednesday that the delegation led by President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy on the Middle East and Africa, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov, held “frank” discussions as it hopes to retain the Tartous naval base and Khmeimim airbase.
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Unconfirmed news reports said that in return al-Sharaa demanded al-Assad be sent back to Syria and reparations be paid.
Syria’s Sanaa news agency reported that he asked for Russia to rebuild trust through “concrete measures such as compensation, reconstruction and recovery”.
The Syrian administration said it had “stressed that restoring relations must address past mistakes, respect the will of the Syrian people and serve their interests”.
The Russian foreign ministry did not address the specifics of the meeting but said Moscow reaffirms “its unwavering support for the unity, territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Syrian Arab Republic”.
Peskov described the trip as “important”, insisting: “It is necessary to build and maintain a permanent dialogue with the Syrian authorities.”
The Russian military bases, located in the province of Latakia on Syria’s Mediterranean coast, have proven vital to Russia’s international ambitions, serving as a launchpad for operations in support of al-Assad’s regime as well as staging grounds for Moscow to project influence across the Mediterranean region and Africa.
Tartous and Khmeimim are Moscow’s only military outposts outside the former Soviet Union.
Russia’s foreign ministry said there had been a “frank discussion of the entire range of issues” and the two sides would pursue further contacts to seek “relevant agreements” without referring specifically to the two military bases.
A Syrian source told the Reuters news agency that the Russians had not been willing to concede Moscow’s “mistakes” and the only deal reached was to continue discussions.
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