Russian Deputy FM Says to Deepen Ties with Syria, Support Reconstruction

DAMASCUS:
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov said that Russia is willing to deepen ties with Syria and support its reconstruction, according to a Russian media report.

Heading a high-level Russian delegation to meet with Syria’s de facto leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, and other top Syrian officials, Bogdanov told RT Arabic news network that the meeting was “constructive and positive,” during which the two sides underlined the “historic,” “uninterrupted” bilateral friendship.

Both sides pledged to deepen ties in various fields, including infrastructure, electricity, oil and gas, agriculture, fertilizers, and railways, Bogdanov, also Russian President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy for the Middle East and Africa, Xinhua news agency reported quoting RT Arabic.

“We agreed to maintain comprehensive dialogue on all aspects of cooperation,” he said, adding that Moscow stands ready to support Syria’s reconstruction process and host Syrian delegations “whenever they request.”

Bogdanov dispelled concerns about Russian facilities in Tartous and Hmeimim in northwestern Syria, saying they remain unaffected amid Syria’s recent political changes.

Rumors about altering contracts for the Russian-operated Tartous Port are “purely commercial” and can likely be resolved “amicably,” he said, stressing Russian companies’ readiness to continue investing in the port despite earlier hurdles.

So far there has been no official statement from the Syrian side regarding the meeting.

The Russian delegation’s visit, the duration of which remains undisclosed, marks the first of its kind by Russian officials to Syria since the downfall of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s government in December 2024.