(MENAFN) Syrian President Bashar Al Assad has made his first official visit outside the Middle East since the earthquake that struck Syria last month. He arrived in Moscow on Tuesday, accompanied by a large ministerial delegation, to hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The two leaders are expected to discuss co-operation in political, trade and humanitarian spheres, as well as prospects for an overall settlement of the situation in and around Syria.
The visit comes after the two leaders last met in September 2021, and an official reception took place at Vnukovo International Airport, where Mr Al Assad was received by Mikhail Bogdanov, the deputy foreign minister and Mr Putin's special representative. Russian ambassador to Syria Aleksandr Yefimov, and the Syrian ambassador to Russia, Bashar Al Jaafari, were also present at the reception.
During the visit, Mr Al Assad laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier near the Kremlin wall, and the national anthems of both countries were played. Experts suggest that Mr Al Assad's visit to Moscow is linked to the need for co-operation on a joint strategy with Russia, given the new prospects of rapprochement between Iran and Saudi Arabia.
According to Nidal Sabi, an expert in inter-Arab relations, "the political processes in the region are taking on a new dynamic, therefore the leaders of Russia and Syria, Vladimir Putin and Bashar Assad, need to get on the same page," he told the Russia TASS news agency. Mr Al Assad has been politically isolated in the region since the start of Syria's war in 2011, triggered by the government's suppression of pro-democracy demonstrations, with his country expelled from the Cairo-based Arab League.
In conclusion, Syrian President Bashar Al Assad's visit to Moscow aims to strengthen ties with Russia and seek co-operation on joint strategies to address the new developments in the region. The talks between the two leaders are expected to cover various areas of co-operation, including politics, trade, and humanitarian affairs, as well as the overall settlement of the situation in and around Syria.
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