Putin Hosts Syria’s al-Sharaa as Russia Seeks to Secure Military Footprint

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Chief

MOSCOW (Worthy News) – Vladimir Putin met with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa at the Kremlin on Wednesday, as Russia moves to safeguard its remaining military bases in Syria following a dramatic shift in power in the war-torn nation.

Moscow had been a central backer of former Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad throughout Syria’s 14-year civil war. Assad’s ouster by al-Sharaa’s rebel forces dealt a serious blow to Russia’s regional influence and cast uncertainty over the future of its military presence.

In televised remarks, Putin praised al-Sharaa’s efforts to consolidate control over Syrian territory, congratulating him on what he described as growing momentum toward restoring Syria’s territorial integrity. The comments appeared to reference recent operations by Syrian forces against Kurdish groups in the country’s northeast.

Al-Sharaa, making his second visit to Russia since taking power, said Moscow had played a “historic role” in Syria’s unity and broader regional stability, signaling a cautious willingness to maintain ties despite lingering tensions.

Neither leader publicly addressed Russia’s military bases, though Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said discussions were expected to include the issue. Russia currently maintains the Hmeimim airbase and the Tartus naval facility on Syria’s Mediterranean coast — its only official military bases outside the former Soviet Union. Earlier this week, Russian forces withdrew from Qamishli airport in Syria’s Kurdish-controlled northeast.

Damascus has indicated it is open to cooperation with Moscow but has repeatedly demanded the extradition of Assad, who was granted asylum in Russia along with his wife.

The talks followed a recent phone call between al-Sharaa and U.S. President Donald Trump, as Washington works to sustain a fragile ceasefire in eastern Syria between government forces and the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces.

Prophetic Implications

As the nations realign and ancient powers reposition themselves on the soil of the Middle East, many are watching with sober discernment through the lens of Scripture. Ezekiel 38 speaks of a future moment when alliances form and move with calculated intent, drawn toward Israel in a way that appears strategic, political, and even pragmatic—yet ultimately fulfills a divine timetable.

At the same time, Isaiah 17 warns of Damascus becoming a ruinous heap, signaling sudden collapse amid regional upheaval. The current shifting of influence in Syria, the recalibration of Russia’s role, and the tightening web of regional alliances echo patterns long recorded by the prophets. These developments do not demand speculation, but vigilance — reminding believers to watch carefully, pray discerningly, and recognize that what appears as geopolitical maneuvering may, in fact, be the quiet alignment of nations toward events the Scriptures said would come.

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