‘They need each other’: What’s behind the new Syria-Russia accord?

What the report says

Al Jazeera reports that Syria and Russia have reached a new agreement on Moscow’s military footprint in Syria after about 18 months of talks following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government in December 2024. The deal covers Russia’s Hmeimim airbase and Tartus naval base on Syria’s coast, both long central to Moscow’s role in the country during the civil war.

Under the arrangement, Syria will take over civilian facilities at Hmeimim and the commercial area of Tartus port, while the military sites are to be converted into joint Russian-Syrian training and qualification centres. The transition is expected to be completed within three months, according to the report. Syria’s foreign ministry described the move as a reorganization of the Russian presence, while Moscow had not publicly commented at the time of publication.

The article says the accord marks a major change from the bases’ wartime purpose, but may also reflect a practical bargain: Damascus regains more control over strategic territory, while Russia keeps a foothold in the eastern Mediterranean and avoids a full exit after decades of investment. Analysts quoted by Al Jazeera said the post-Assad leadership appears to be weighing security, economic and diplomatic interests, including access to grain, energy and technical support.

The development matters because it suggests Syria’s new rulers are seeking a more independent foreign policy while still engaging Russia alongside Western and regional powers. It also shows how shifting regional politics are reshaping one of the Middle East’s most durable alliances.