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Russian delegation in Syria. Negotiation failure – which went wrong. Analysis

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Talks of Russian high-level officials who visited Syria for the first time after the overthrow of Moscow's ally Bashar al-Assad, lasted three hours with new authorities in Damascus. Their main goal was to maintain two key military bases by Russia. Negotiations failed. The Russian BBC section analyzes what went wrong.

The deputy head of diplomacy Mikhail Bogdanow was one of the main characters in the composition of the Russian delegation, which visited Damascus on January 28. There was also a special representative of the president Vladimir Putin for matters Syria Aleksandr Ławrentiew. – In general, the meeting was constructive and took place in a good atmosphere. However, we understand how difficult the situation is – admitted in an interview with journalists the deputy minister of foreign affairs of Russia.

Read also: “Practically empty quays”. The Russians took their equipment from the Syrian base

Three hours of conversations. They came back with nothing

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The Russian BBC section has determined that conversations of high -level officials from Moscow, who visited Syria for the first time after overthrowing the ally of Moscow Bashar al-Assadwith the new authorities in Damascus (headed by the leader Ahmed Al-Szara) lasted for three hours. Their main goal was to preserve two key military bases by Russia: Aviation Humajmim in Latakia and Morska in Tartus.

Maintaining bases was the most important issue that the delegation wanted to solve and this issue remained unresolved – BBC said. Bogdanowa quotes, who said that “nothing is changing for now.” – This issue requires further negotiations. We agreed that we would continue more detailed consultations in every area of ​​our cooperation – Bogdanow answered enigmatically to the question of journalists about the findings in the matter of bases.

Russian Navy base in Tartus, Syria. Recording of December 14, 2024 Reuters

Ships waited for several weeks

On Wednesday, the American agency Bloomberg reported that the conversations between the Russians and the Syrians regarding the further military presence of Russia in Syria “got stalled.” Her interlocutor revealed, among others, that two Russian transport ships (Sparta and Sparta II) were forced to wait for several weeks before they were allowed to moor in Tartus so that they could take military equipment in this place.

Tartus was the only Russian base in the Mediterranean Sea, enabling the jacket to supplement fuel, supply and repair ships during surgery in the Middle East and Africa. Humajmim, in turn, was a key supply base for Moscow's activities in this region – noted the BBC.

Satellite photo taken on January 25, 2025, depicting Sparta and Sparta II moored in the port of TartusSatellite Image © 2025 Maxar Technologies

In 2017, Moscow and Damascus signed a contract on the use of bases in Tartus and Humajmim for a period of 49 years, and two years later the Syrian authorities concluded an investment agreement on the management of the port in Tartus with the Russian company Budtransgaz. The new authorities in Damascus annulled these findings.

Mikhail Bogdanow called the issue of the contract with Budtransgaz “technical”. – This is a purely technical issue related to the work of our company. I think we can find acceptable solutions for both sides – he said.

The Russian ship Sparta II transports armament to Syria. Recording from August 2022

The Russian ship Sparta II transports armament to Syria. Recording from August 2022 Reuters archive

What went wrong

The BBC reports that in mid-December last year, shortly after the overthrow of the Bashar Al-Assad regime, Russian sources maintained in talks with the Western media that the Kremlin is close to reaching agreement with the new Syria authorities on key bases. They claimed that Moscow could offer Damascus food supply, as well as support in the reconstruction of military structures, including providing weapons.

However, in recent weeks European Union She became more active, began to make contacts with new authorities in Damascus and convince them to withdraw from agreements with Russia. At the beginning of January Foreign ministers of Germany and France visited Damascusand later the head of EU diplomacy Kaia Kallas announced that the heads of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the EU countries agreed on the plan to sanct the sanctions against Syria – BBC reminded.

Ukraine sends wheat

G7 and their allies, looking for alternatives to the import of Russian oil and food to Syria, can also play their role (on the relationship between Moscow with Damascus – ed.) She mentioned that Ukraine She sent 500 tons of wheat to this country, and the authorities in Kiev promised to increase deliveries during the December visit to Damascus of Foreign Ministers and Agriculture.

Foreign Minister of Ukraine Andriy Sybiha (on the left) and new leader of Syria Ahmed Al-Szara (on the right). Photo from December 30, 2024

Andria Sybiha/X

Moscow plans on maintaining military bases and influence in Syria are also opposed to Türkiyewhich supports several Syrian rebel groups, including the Islamist Hajat Tahrir Ash-Szam, which formed a new government in Damascus.

Read also: The head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine at a meeting in Damascus. “We are ready to help”

Until the last days of the regime

Russian aircraft performed combat raids, supporting the forces of Bashar Al-Assad until the last days of his regime. Russia has been providing military support to Assad in the fight against the rebels for many years, and after her overthrow she gave it shelter – BBC reminded him.

The Reuters agency, citing Syrian sources, said on Wednesday that the new authorities in Damascus They demand from the authorities in the Kremlin issue of Assad. Among the demands is also the payment of compensation for destruction made during Russian bombings. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Pieskow He refused to answer journalists on these matters.

“The conditions are understandable, but completely impossible to fulfill,” commented the postulates of the Syrian authorities at the Kremlin's address political commentator of the Russian daily and the “Kommiersant” Dmitry Driza station. He said that the amount of compensation would probably contain very “many zeros”, taking into account that many Syrian cities turned into ruin.

BBC, Interfax, Kommiersant, TVN24.pl

Source of the main photo: Satellite Image © 2025 Maxar Technologies



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