Damascus and Moscow strike deal to terminate Russian military presence at Syrian bases
Syria and Russia have agreed to end Moscow's military use of the Hmeimem air base and part of the Tartous port, according to Syria's foreign ministry. Damascus will take control of those facilities, while remaining military installations will be converted into joint training centers. The agreement marks a significant shift in the strategic partnership between the two countries.
The agreement follows roughly eighteen months of negotiations between Damascus and Moscow. It redefines the strategic footprint Russia maintained along Syria's coastline since the early years of the Syrian conflict, when it backed the previous government.
While Moscow granted asylum to the ousted leader and has seen its troops gradually withdraw, the current Syrian administration has sought to preserve diplomatic channels, with President al-Sharaa making two visits to the Kremlin. Concurrently, Damascus is actively rebuilding ties with Western and Arab nations, evidenced by recent high-level diplomatic exchanges.
This transition could reshape regional security dynamics by reducing Russia's direct naval and air projection in the eastern Mediterranean. For Syrians, the shift may signal a gradual normalization with the international community, potentially easing reconstruction efforts and attracting investment. However, the conversion of facilities into joint training centers suggests Moscow retains a meaningful, albeit altered, influence, which could complicate Syria's balancing act between Western rapprochement and its historical ties to Russia.