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Al-Shibani reveals a meeting held with the Russians before Assad's fall
While questions continue to circulate about the circumstances and background of Bashar Assad’s regime fall in December 2024, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shibani revealed important details related to the period preceding that event, clarifying aspects of meetings and agreements that took place between Damascus and Moscow.
In an interview with Syrian News Agency late Saturday, Al-Shibani mentioned that he had a meeting with the Russian delegation on December 6 of the same year, based on directives from Syrian President Ahmad Al-Shar’. The meeting focused on trying to keep Russian intervention neutral in the ongoing conflict against Assad’s regime. It was emphasized that the revolutionaries told the Russian side that their fight was for regime change, not merely about new alliances. However, the Syrian delegation confirmed that alliances would remain as long as they served the interests of the Syrian people.
In his remarks, Al-Shibani stressed that any victory requires long-term strategies, considering the country’s interests. He explained that relations with Russia are progressing gradually, with some previously signed agreements still under review, especially those related to Russian military bases, and no new agreements have been signed yet.
He clarified that Russian bases are currently under negotiation, with Russian presence limited to Hmeimim and Tartus, while future troop deployment will be reevaluated, particularly in light of discussions held during Al-Shar’s meetings with Putin in Moscow recently.
Additionally, Al-Shibani noted that these issues were present during talks with the Russian president, and that Russia showed flexibility regarding the return of its troops. He pointed out that discussions about handing over some former regime leaders to Damascus for trial are still ongoing.
Towards the end of his comments, Al-Shibani stated that Syrian-Russian relations are evolving to serve the interests of both countries, with ongoing review and negotiation of existing agreements. Meanwhile, recent Russian statements indicate Moscow’s flexibility in military presence, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who said Russian forces would withdraw if the Syrian leadership refused.
In a related context, Al-Shar’ visited Moscow in mid-October, where he held a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin that lasted about two and a half hours. During the meeting, he expressed hope for recalibrating relations with Russia to benefit both countries, and called for the handover of some former regime leaders to Damascus for trial.
