Syrian President Ahmed al-Shara's pledge to honor all previous agreements between Syria and Russia implies that Moscow will retain its key military bases—the Khmeimim airbase and the naval base in Tartus, Reuters reports. This statement came on the eve of his meeting with Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin.

A Syrian source, who wished to remain anonymous, clarified that the new Syrian authorities are seeking guarantees that Russia will not assist in rearming the remnants of Bashar al-Assad's forces.

"Sharaa hopes that Russia can help rebuild the Syrian army, but without the support of the former regime," - noted the source.

He also added that al-Sharaa is counting on economic support from Moscow, including the resumption of wheat supplies on preferential terms and compensation for damage caused by the war.

Russia, a key ally of Assad during the civil war, intervened in 2015 to bolster his regime with heavy airstrikes on rebel-held areas. Despite Assad's overthrow in December 2024, Syria's new Islamist rulers, led by al-Sharaa, are seeking peaceful relations with Moscow. However, the fate of the Russian bases in Tartus and Khmeimim remained uncertain until recently.