Assad and Putin Meet in Moscow Amid Russian Mediation Between Syria and Turkey

The Russian President expressed regret over the direct impact of escalating regional tensions on Damascus during a meeting with his Syrian counterpart, who traveled to Moscow. Vladimir Putin told Bashar al-Assad, "Unfortunately, there is a tendency to escalate tensions in the region, which directly applies to Syria as well." According to the Kremlin's press office, the meeting took place on Wednesday, July 25. This meeting comes amid Russia's efforts to mediate between Syria and Turkey. Since the onset of the Syrian civil war over the past 13 years, the few foreign trips by Bashar al-Assad, including to Iran and Russia, have reportedly been announced only after his return to the country for security reasons. Putin discussed "a range of issues" related to Moscow-Damascus bilateral relations and the "escalating regional situation" with Assad. Erdogan has once again called for normalizing relations with Syria. According to Putin, "there are good prospects in trade and economic relations between Russia and Syria." Assad also told Putin that the two countries have "overcome difficult tests" over the decades and have maintained a "high level of mutual trust." Assad added that given the current geopolitical situation, his meeting with Vladimir Putin was "important" for discussing various scenarios. Russia has been providing military assistance to Syria since late summer 2015, defending Assad's loyal forces alongside the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Hezbollah against armed opposition groups aiming to overthrow the regime. Since Russia began its military invasion of Ukraine 25 months ago and took control of large parts of four Ukrainian provinces, the Russian army has had to transfer a significant portion of its resources and military forces from Syria to the battlefronts in Ukraine. Nevertheless, Russia has largely maintained its military position in Syria and has continued its activities to support Assad's regime, particularly through its air bases. Assad had also met with Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin 16 months ago. Although many details of the discussions between the two leaders on Wednesday have not been disclosed, according to the Associated Press, one of the possible topics of discussion was the revival of diplomatic relations between Syria and Turkey. Turkey and Syria severed ties at the beginning of the Syrian civil war because Syria believed Turkey played an active role in trying to overthrow Assad's government. During that time, Recep Tayyip Erdogan repeatedly referred to Bashar al-Assad as a "murderer." Turkey supports Syrian rebel groups seeking to overthrow Assad's government, while Syria considers these groups as terrorists. Turkish army forces have been stationed in northwestern Syria, which is controlled by opposition forces close to Turkey, for over a decade; a situation that angers Syria. Has the season of "reconciliation and appeasement" between Turkey and Syria arrived? Russia has been trying to hold mediation meetings between Turkey and Syria for the past year and a half, including a meeting of the defense ministers of the three countries about 18 months ago in Moscow. The Turkish President has recently expressed interest in resuming relations with Syria. However, Turkish officials have dismissed a report from a newspaper in their country regarding Erdogan's upcoming meeting with Bashar al-Assad in Moscow as unrealistic. In recent days, Erdogan stated that he invited Assad to meet either with him in Turkey or in another country. Assad has responded positively to Erdogan's messages but emphasizes the need for the Turkish army to withdraw from Syrian territory. Erdogan's government, in turn, insists that millions of Syrian refugees who fled to Turkey during the Syrian war should return to their country, calling this a priority for Ankara. However, according to Agence France-Presse, analysts believe that any rapprochement between Turkey and Syria will likely be gradual due to the complex issues between the two countries.