The new leader of Syria, Ahmed al-Sharaa, demanded that Moscow hand over former president Bashar al-Assad during negotiations with the Russian delegation.
This information was reported by a source familiar with the negotiations to Reuters.
The Fall of Assad's Regime: What Losses Russia Suffered Due to Defeat in SyriaThe fall of Assad's regime in Syria has become one of Russia's largest geopolitical defeats. More details can be found in the infographic.Additionally, according to the local agency Sana, Damascus also wanted Russia, which had supported Assad's regime during the civil war, to restore trust through "specific measures such as compensation, reconstruction, and restoration."
When asked to confirm whether they demanded Russia hand over Assad and provide compensation, Russian presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov declined to comment.
The new Syrian administration stated after the negotiations with the Russian delegation on Tuesday that "the restoration of relations must take past mistakes into account, respect the will of the Syrian people, and serve their interests."
However, a Syrian source told Reuters that the Russians are not ready to acknowledge such mistakes, and the only agreement reached was to continue discussions.
Recently, media reported that Russia is currently unable to reach an agreement with the new Syrian authorities regarding the retention of its military bases in the country.
It is worth noting that Bashar al-Assad left Syria and arrived in Moscow on December 8. The Kremlin stated that Putin personally decided to grant asylum to Assad and his family.
Previously, Reuters reported on the details of Assad's escape from Syria to Russia.
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