Putin Reaffirms to Al-Sharaa His Support for Syria’s Unity
Russian President Vladimir Putin reaffirmed his support for Syria’s unity and sovereignty during a telephone conversation with Syrian President Ahmad Al-Sharaa, a day after the dissolution of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and their integration into official state institutions.
In a statement published on its official website following the conversation, the Kremlin said: « The two sides discussed the current state of Russian-Syrian relations and the prospects for their development, and reaffirmed their commitment to deepening political dialogue and cooperation in the trade, economic, humanitarian, and other fields. »
It added: « During an exchange of views on the situation in Syria, Putin once again reaffirmed his principled position in support of Syria’s unity, territorial integrity, and sovereignty, as well as the creation of the necessary conditions for the long-term normalization of relations and reconstruction. »
The statement continued: « The two sides noted the importance of the memorandum of understanding signed on August 9 concerning the reorganization of the Hmeimim Air Base and the logistics and technical support center in Tartous. »
Putin and Al-Sharaa agreed to maintain communication at various levels.
The conversation comes amid Syrian-Israeli tensions and follows a visit by Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz to Mount Hermon inside Syrian territory, where he stated that the Israeli army would not leave the security zone as long as « jihadist threats » to Israel persisted.
Meanwhile, Mazloum Abdi, the commander-in-chief of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), announced on Monday the dissolution of his forces, the Autonomous Administration, and all affiliated military and civilian formations, as well as their full integration into Syrian state institutions.
On August 9, the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that it had reached a memorandum of understanding with Russia concerning the two Russian bases in Hmeimim and Tartous, outlining the framework for relations between the two countries.
