The Media Line: Russian Delegation Headed by Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation in Damascus 

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Russian Delegation Headed by Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation in Damascus 

Rizik Al-abi – Damascus / The Media Line

A high-level Russian delegation headed by Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Alexander Novak arrived in Damascus on an official visit aimed at discussing ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation between the two countries in the fields of economy, energy, defense, and politics, in addition to humanitarian issues. 

The delegation, which included a number of senior Russian officials—among them Minister of Construction, Housing, and Utilities Irek Fayzullin and the Special Envoy of the Russian President to Syria Alexander Lavrentiev—was received with an official welcome at Damascus International Airport, followed by a program of meetings with the Syrian leadership. 

During a meeting at Tishreen Palace in Damascus, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Dr. Asaad Hassan Al-Shibani affirmed that Syria is proceeding with building a sovereign and just state, noting that cooperation with Russia constitutes a fundamental pillar in the path of reconstruction. 

He also stressed the need to establish fair and transparent partnerships in the fields of energy, health, and agriculture, pointing out the security challenges posed by repeated Israeli attacks. 

For his part, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak reiterated his country’s position in support of Syria’s unity and sovereignty, confirming Moscow’s readiness to provide support in rehabilitating the energy sector and delivering humanitarian assistance. 

He explained that the Joint Governmental Committee between the two countries will soon resume its work with the aim of broadening the horizons of economic and trade cooperation. 

Syrian President Ahmad Al-Sharaa received the Russian delegation at the People’s Palace in Damascus, where ways to elevate bilateral relations to the level of strategic partnership were discussed. 

Since 2015, Russia has played a pivotal role in the Syrian conflict following its direct military intervention alongside the deposed president Bashar al-Assad, which contributed to the Syrian government regaining control over vast areas of territory before losing control at the end of last year over all Syrian lands. 

Moscow insists that its intervention came at the official request of Damascus to combat terrorism, while human rights organizations and international bodies accuse it of being involved in widespread violations and war crimes through the bombing of civilian areas and support for military operations that claimed the lives of thousands of civilians and displaced millions of Syrians. 

Despite these international criticisms, Russia continued to provide political, military, and economic support to Bashar al-Assad, and worked to strengthen its presence in reconstruction files and political settlement tracks, all of which ultimately ended in failure.

From the Syrian goverment’s meeting with the Russian delegation. PHOTO: source: Syrian Presidency