During discussions in Moscow, Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani informed Russian President Vladimir Putin that Syria’s new leader is eager to strengthen relations with Russia. This comes as Putin strives to preserve Russia’s military presence in Syria and protect its strategic interests in the region after Bashar al-Assad’s fall in December. Assad’s ousting was led by Ahmed al-Sharaa, who has since taken office as president.

Sheikh Tamim shared that he recently met with President al-Sharaa in Qatar, where they discussed the long-standing and strategic ties between Syria and Russia. The Syrian leader expressed a strong desire to foster a respectful relationship with Russia.

Putin emphasized the importance of the ongoing situation in Syria, which has been marked by increasing sectarian violence. He stressed the need for Syria to remain sovereign, independent, and territorially intact, and reiterated Russia’s readiness to provide support, particularly in the form of humanitarian aid.

The two leaders also touched on the situation in Gaza, where Qatar has played a key role in facilitating a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. Despite an agreement in January, Israel resumed its offensive in Gaza in March, and attempts to revive the ceasefire have yet to be successful. Sheikh Tamim reaffirmed Qatar’s commitment to mediating and seeking a solution to ease the suffering of the Palestinian people.

Putin acknowledged Qatar’s significant role in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and expressed regret that previous peace efforts, including those led by Qatar, had not been fully realized, leading to continued hardship in Palestine.

The two leaders also planned to discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine. Qatar has actively engaged in mediation between Russia and Ukraine, including facilitating the reunification of children with their parents who had been separated by the conflict. Both sides have expressed their intention to continue working toward resolving the war.