Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has stressed that Moscow continues to maintain what he described as a “non-opportunistic friendship” with Damascus, saying that Russia’s renewed contact with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa reflects the depth of their longstanding relationship.
He added that the Syrian leader’s expected participation in the Russia-Arab Summit later this month “will have special importance.”
Speaking in an interview on RT International’s News Maker program aired Thursday, Lavrov said: “Confrontations continue between Syria’s central government and several regions, yet we have preserved genuine, non-opportunistic relations. For that reason, President (Vladimir) Putin promptly resumed communication with President Ahmed al-Sharaa.”
Lavrov recalled that Russia intervened in Syria following the Arab Spring “to help the Syrian authorities stabilize the situation,” noting that Moscow played “a major role in restoring order.”
He said Russia, the United States, and several regional states had once reached an international agreement to help Syria recover, but that failure to implement it led to the current situation.
Lavrov reiterated Putin’s position that Russia’s military presence in Syria is not indefinite. “We will not remain if the Syrian leadership no longer wants us there,” he said. “But it appears that Damascus, along with several regional countries, is interested in our continued presence.”
He suggested that Moscow’s bases in Syria should take on new humanitarian functions, including the establishment of a relief center at both the port and airport to facilitate the transfer of humanitarian aid from Russia and Gulf states to African nations. Lavrov also noted Russia’s historical role in building Syria’s defense and professional capacities, adding that joint projects could be revived “with adjustments to fit the current circumstances.”
Lavrov called on all states with influence over Syria to prioritize the country’s unity. “There are Kurds, Alawites, Christians, and others,” he said. “The unity of Syria must be in the interest of all its friends.” He warned that Kurdish moves toward autonomy could ignite separatist tensions across neighboring states, creating “very serious risks.”
In July, a high-level Syrian delegation led by Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani visited Moscow to rebuild a “balanced and respectful partnership.” Both sides expressed a desire to review past agreements made under former President Bashar al-Assad, now living in exile in Russia.
Damascus has since launched legal proceedings against Assad, who fled the country after his downfall in December 2024. On September 27, a Syrian investigative judge issued an in-absentia arrest warrant related to the 2011 Daraa events, allowing the case to be circulated through Interpol for possible international pursuit.
