Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa will travel to Moscow on Wednesday for an official visit aimed at strengthening ties with Russia and discussing new avenues for political and economic cooperation, the government’s press office in Damascus said.
The statement, released by the state-run news agency SANA on Tuesday said al-Sharaa is scheduled to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss regional and international developments, as well as ways to strengthen cooperation between the two countries.
He is also expected to meet members of the Syrian community in Russia during the visit, it said.
The trip marks the first official visit by al-Sharaa to Russia since he assumed office last December, after leading an anti-regime alliance that toppled former ruler Bashar Assad.
Russia was one of the country's closest allies under Assad. The former president fled to Russia after his ouster, where he and his family were granted asylum.
Since taking power, al-Sharaa has sought to redefine Syria's foreign relations with foreign and Arab countries.
The visit follows a telephone conversation in February between the two presidents, during which Putin reaffirmed Russia's support for Syria's unity and stability, and expressed willingness to review agreements signed with the previous government.
According to Syrian sources, the visit could open a new chapter in Syrian-Russian relations, which will focus mainly on reconstruction and economic recovery.
In February, Putin spoke with al-Sharaa by phone, reaffirming Russia's support for Syria's unity, sovereignty, and stability, and expressing readiness to review agreements signed with the former Assad regime while calling for the lifting of economic sanctions on Syria.
The visit comes more than a month after Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak visited Damascus on Sept. 9, where he discussed issues, including energy cooperation and humanitarian assistance, with senior Syrian officials.
Bashar Assad, who ruled Syria for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia in late 2024, ending the Baath Party's decades-long grip on power that began in 1963. A new transitional administration led by Sharaa was formed in January.
