What did President Assad say about Russia?

After he met yesterday with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad confirmed that he welcomes more Russian bases and forces in Syria.

President al-Assad said that increasing the number of Russian bases in his country may be “necessary” in the future, considering that the Russian presence is “linked to the balance of power” in the world.

He also added, “The Russian military presence in any country cannot be built on something temporary. We are talking about an international balance.” He continued, “The great powers today cannot protect themselves or play their role from within their borders. They must play the role from outside the borders.” Through allies in the world, or through military bases.”

He also said about the possibility of holding a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Al-Assad said, “The meeting with Erdogan is linked to Turkey’s withdrawal from Syrian territory.”

Al-Assad arrived in Moscow last Tuesday on an official visit, during which he will hold talks with Putin, in light of the Kremlin’s intensification of its efforts to achieve reconciliation between Ankara and Damascus, and to confirm its diplomatic weight in the midst of the European-American isolation it faces due to its invasion of Ukraine.

It is noteworthy that Russia maintains a large military presence in the Syrian territories, since the first months of the war in 2011.