Al-Sharaa Meets Putin as Russia Withdraws from Syria Base

Is Russia's influence in Syria crumbling or are Moscow and Damascus successfully rebuilding their partnership?

Published 3 hours ago

Al-Sharaa Meets Putin as Russia Withdraws from Syria Base

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Above: Ahmed Shara with Vladimir Putin in Moscow, on Oct. 15, 2025. Image credit: Kremlin Press Service/Anadolu/Getty Images

The Spin

Anti-Russia narrative

Russia's strategic position in Syria is crumbling as forces withdraw from Qamishli Airport and relocate to coastal bases, exposing Moscow's weakening grip on a once-reliable client state. Putin's broader network of anti-Western alliances is disintegrating across Syria, Iran and Venezuela, revealing the impotence of his attempts to challenge American hegemony. The Kremlin's failure to support Assad during the insurgent takeover and subsequent inability to maintain military positions demonstrates Russia's declining influence in the Middle East.

The Telegraph The Economic Times Thecradle.Co

Pro-Russia narrative

Syria and Russia are successfully rebuilding their longstanding partnership through high-level diplomatic engagement, with al-Sharaa's second Moscow visit demonstrating continued cooperation on economic, military and regional security matters. The strategic relationship remains intact as both nations work to preserve stability and deepen bilateral ties across defense, energy and food security sectors. Moscow's military presence continues at key bases while Damascus advances territorial control, showing the resilience of Russian-Syrian relations beyond the Assad era.

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