[DAMASCUS] A high-level Russian delegation headed by Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Alexander Novak arrived in Damascus on an official visit aimed at discussing ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation between the two countries in the fields of economy, energy, defense and politics, in addition to humanitarian issues.
The delegation, which included a number of senior Russian officials – among them Minister of Construction, Housing and Utilities Irek Faizullin and the special envoy of the Russian president to Syria, Alexander Lavrentiev – was received with an official welcome at Damascus International Airport, followed by a program of meetings with the Syrian leadership.
During a meeting at Tishreen Palace in Damascus, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Dr. Asaad Al-Shaibani affirmed that Syria is proceeding with the construction of a sovereign and just state, noting that cooperation with Russia constitutes a fundamental pillar on that path.
He also stressed the need to establish fair and transparent partnerships in the fields of energy, health and agriculture, pointing out the security challenges posed by repeated Israeli attacks.
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For his part, Novak reiterated his country’s position in support of Syria’s unity and sovereignty, confirming Moscow’s readiness to provide support in rehabilitating the energy sector and delivering humanitarian assistance.
He explained that the joint governmental committee between the two countries will soon resume its work to broaden the scope of economic and trade cooperation.
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa welcomed the Russian delegation at the People’s Palace in Damascus, where they discussed advancing bilateral ties toward a strategic partnership.
Since 2015, Russia has played a pivotal role in the Syrian conflict through its direct military intervention alongside deposed President Bashar Assad, helping the government regain large swaths of territory before ultimately losing control of all Syrian lands at the end of last year.
Moscow insists that Damascus officially requested its assistance to combat terrorism. At the same time, human rights organizations and international bodies accuse Russia of being involved in widespread violations and war crimes through the bombing of civilian areas and support for military operations that claimed the lives of thousands of civilians and displaced millions.
Despite these international criticisms, Russia continued to provide political, military and economic support to Bashar Assad, and worked to strengthen its presence in reconstruction and political alliances, all of which ultimately ended in failure.