Putin, Assad talk stability, Syria rebuild

MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted Syrian leader Bashar Assad in the Kremlin on Wednesday for talks that focused on rebuilding Syria after a civil war and on efforts to stabilize the region.

Welcoming Assad at the start of the meeting, which took place on the anniversary of Syria’s 12-year uprising-turned-civil war, Putin emphasized the Russian military’s “decisive contribution” to stabilizing the country.

Russia has waged a military campaign in Syria since September 2015, teaming up with Iran to allow Assad’s government to fight armed opposition groups and reclaim control over most of the country. While Russia now concentrates the bulk of its military resources in Ukraine, Moscow has maintained its military foothold in Syria and kept warplanes and troops at its bases.

Assad thanked Putin for backing Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, noting that the Kremlin’s support has remained strong despite the fighting in Ukraine.

“Even though Russia now is also conducting the special operation, its position has remained unchanged,” Assad said, using the Kremlin’s “special military operation” term for the Russian action in Ukraine and voicing support for Moscow’s effort.

The two rounds of talks between the leaders, the first one involving senior officials from both countries and then a one-on-one encounter over lunch, lasted for more than three hours. The Russian and Syrian defense ministers met separately to discuss military cooperation.

Assad’s office said on Twitter that the two leaders discussed “joint cooperation in various forms and developments on the regional and international arenas.” It noted that Assad “renewed Syria’s position in support of Russia’s right to defend its national security.”