British News Agency

According to a statement from the Kremlin, Syrian President Ahmed Shara traveled to Russia on a working visit.

The agenda of the talks included the state of bilateral relations in various fields and the current situation in the Middle East.

Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his pleasure at meeting Syrian President Ahmed Shara again in Moscow.

Noting that no time had been wasted since their last meeting and that much had been done to rebuild intergovernmental relations, Putin said: “We have also managed to overcome the stagnation in economic cooperation, achieving growth of over 4 percent. This may not be as ambitious as we would like, but it is still a notable progress, and we must certainly continue this positive trend. We are doing a great deal to develop our relations in all areas.”

Putin emphasized that Russia–Syria relations have deep roots, adding:

“Now, under the new realities, partly and above all thanks to your efforts, relations between Syria and Russia are developing. I have already mentioned the economic component. There is much to discuss here, and we will certainly use your visit today to address these issues.”

Stating that Russia closely follows efforts to restore Syria’s territorial integrity, Putin said: “I congratulate you on the momentum this process has gained. We have always supported the restoration of Syria’s territorial integrity; you know this, and we support all your efforts in this direction.”

Syrian President Shara, for his part, said: “Syria has made significant progress over the past year and has moved beyond the phase of sanctions. Of course, one of the greatest challenges is the unification of Syria. We have been working on this issue since last year. Russia, of course, plays a major role in stabilizing the situation, not only there but also in the region as a whole. In fact, our region is in great need of stability. Therefore, I thank you very much, Mr. President, for your efforts in this regard.”