Russia has demanded reparations from Syria as part of efforts to “rebuild trust” after a meeting between the country’s new administration and a Moscow delegation, according to local news sources. The meeting aimed to discuss future relations and came as Russia sought to maintain its two military bases in the Middle Eastern country.
Moscow had provided Bashar al-Assad’s regime with significant military resources and funding before he was ousted in December. Russian troops were attacked by Damascus rebel groups during a wide-scale military operation, leaving them trapped for a time.
In the meeting on January 28, Russia expressed support for Syria’s changes and Damascus’ new administration pushed for reparations through “compensation, reconstruction, and recovery.” The two countries also discussed transitional justice mechanisms to ensure accountability and justice for victims of the brutal war.
Syria stressed that Russia must address past mistakes and respect the will of the Syrian people. In return, Russia has maintained its support for Syria’s unity, territorial integrity, and sovereignty.
The discussion of reparations comes as Russia looks to retain its two military bases in the country, which are located in Tartous and Hmeymim. Losing these bases would be a significant blow to Moscow’s influence in the region.
A Syrian source told Reuters that Sharaa requested Russia return Assad, who fled to Moscow seeking asylum. However, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on this request.
The meeting with Syria marked a significant development in the complex relationship between the two countries. Newsweek reached out to both ministries for comment, but no response was received.
Source: https://www.newsweek.com/syria-demands-reparations-russia-2022813