During a meeting with Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin yesterday, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa asked for Russia's support in confronting Israel, which is seeking to create a broad buffer zone in southern Syria, Reuters reported, citing informed sources.

According to the agency's publication, al-Sharaa also raised the possibility of redeploying Russian military forces to their previous observation posts in southern Syria. This would deter Israeli actions and limit the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) activity in the region. The proposed configuration is similar to that in place during the Bashar al-Assad regime, when Russian troops acted as intermediaries in the separation zone near the Golan Heights.

The meeting in Moscow marked al-Sharaa's first official encounter with a Russian leader since Assad's overthrow in December 2024. Al-Sharaa, the former head of al-Qaeda's Syrian branch (a terrorist organization banned in Russia), led the rebels who captured Damascus, after which Assad fled to Russia. Despite past conflicts—Russian air forces even carried out strikes against rebel forces—both sides are demonstrating pragmatism: Damascus needs military and diplomatic support, while Moscow seeks to maintain its bases in Khmeimim and Tartus.