Moscow — In a direct affront to Western isolation tactics, Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al‑Shibani in the Kremlin on Wednesday, reaffirming Moscow’s unwavering support for Syria’s embattled regime and signaling deeper regional alignment ahead of a planned Russia–Arab summit.
The high-level meeting underscored a strategic pivot as both Moscow and Damascus seek to consolidate their diplomatic standing amid mounting pressure from the West over Russia’s operations in Ukraine and Syria’s ongoing economic and political turmoil. In a public gesture of solidarity, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov praised Syria’s role in maintaining security at Russian military bases in Latakia and Tartus, calling Syria a “critical ally” in ensuring regional stability.
Putin’s engagement with the Syrian delegation comes as Western powers continue to impose paralyzing sanctions on both nations. Rather than recalibrating, the Kremlin appears to be doubling down on its alliances with so-called “pariah states”—a geopolitical chess move that positions Russia as the principal counterbalance to Washington’s Middle East agenda. Syria, in return, is capitalizing on Moscow’s willingness to defy Western consensus, hoping for stronger economic ties and diplomatic recognition.
More symbolically, Syria’s former Foreign Minister Walid al-Sharaa—who has been largely absent from public view for over a decade—has been invited to attend the upcoming Russia–Arab summit, a forum expected to showcase Moscow’s influence in reshaping the regional power matrix. The invitation is being interpreted by analysts as Russia’s way of restoring Arab engagement with Syria on terms dictated not by Washington or Brussels, but by Moscow.
This realignment is further reinforced by Lavrov’s call for Arab states to challenge Western-led sanctions, urging them to embrace an independent foreign policy unshackled from US diktats. Such rhetoric fits neatly into Putin’s broader narrative of a multipolar world, one where the Kremlin sees itself as the chief architect of a post-Western order.
While the White House has yet to respond officially, diplomatic insiders suggest Washington is watching the developments with unease, particularly as more Arab governments begin to reconsider their stance on re-engaging with Damascus. With Russia positioning itself as a guarantor of regional sovereignty and anti-Western resistance, the upcoming Russia–Arab summit may emerge as a litmus test for the waning influence of the United States in the Middle East.
According to The Jerusalem Post, Putin’s meeting with Syrian officials and the summit invitation to Sharaa marks a significant effort by Moscow to reassert its role as the central axis of Arab diplomacy, countering US-led isolation strategies that have so far failed to fracture Russian-Syrian ties.
Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Syria’s new Foreign Minister Asaad al‑Shibani in Moscow, the first such visit since the fall of Bashar al‑Assad. During talks, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov invited Syria’s interim President Ahmed al‑Sharaa to the upcoming Russia–Arab League summit in October. Shibani emphasized rebuilding “a united, strong Syria” and announced joint committees to review past bilateral agreements. Lavrov praised Syria’s role in protecting Russian military bases and resisting Western sanctions, while warning of extremist threats to minorities. The visit, according to Reuters, marks a shift in Syria’s diplomatic reset under Russian patronage.
