Syrian President Al-Shara Meets Putin in Moscow Amid Discussions on Russian Military Base Future

Syrian President Ahmad Al-Shara met with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Wednesday. During the meeting, the Kremlin expressed a desire to agree on a deal to secure the future of crucial military bases for Russia's military presence in the Middle East.

Russia was a key ally of Al-Shara's predecessor, Bashar al-Assad, during the 14-year bloody civil war in Syria. The fall of Assad at the hands of Al-Shara's rebel forces dealt a major blow to Russia's influence in the region. Questions have arisen regarding the status of Russia's massive military bases remaining in Syria.