Russia and Syria Reach Landmark Agreement on Military Bases

Following eighteen months of negotiations, Russia and Syria have agreed to partially convert former regime military bases into joint training centers within three months.

Agreement on Military Bases

According to new reports, the bases that Russia used for years to support Assad’s regime will be partially transformed into centers for joint exercises.

The agreement between Russia and Syria regarding military bases follows a series of developments. In December 2024, power in Syria was seized by rebels originating from Islamist militias, who overthrew the authoritarian government of Bashar al-Assad. After the regime change, some Russian troops left the country, but Moscow sought to maintain good relations with the new Syrian leadership to retain control over two bases: the Khmeimim airbase in the northeast of the country and the port of Tartus.

Negotiations and Implementation

The SANA agency, citing the Syrian Foreign Ministry, announced that the agreement was preceded by eighteen months of negotiations. The deal assumes that the process of transforming the bases into Syrian-Russian training centers will take no longer than three months. Additionally, the civilian infrastructure around the bases will be handed over to the Syrian authorities.

As noted by the AFP agency, these bases remained operational during the negotiations. Russia has not yet officially commented on the agreement.

Strategic Significance of Tartus

The base in Tartus held key strategic significance for Russia. The Soviet Navy had stationed forces there since 1971. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russian ships were withdrawn, but they returned to the Syrian port in 2012 when Moscow decided to intervene in the Syrian civil war. Before the invasion of Ukraine, Russia additionally strengthened its military presence at the base to counter the activity of NATO aircraft carriers in the Mediterranean Sea.

Shifting Foreign Policy

The new authorities in Damascus declare that they want to unify a country divided by war. They have also made a U-turn in international relations. The Assad regime relied on alliances with Iran and Russia, and it was mainly thanks to their support that it managed to survive for 13 years of civil war.

The interim government of President Ahmed al-Shara maintains close relations with Turkey and the Sunni monarchies of the Persian Gulf, while also seeking to normalize relations with the West. The president has also met twice with the leader of Russia, Vladimir Putin.

Russian troops formally entered Syria to fight the terrorist Islamic State. The fundamentalist group was also fought by an international coalition led by US forces. One of the main forces of this alliance was Kurdish troops. Russian troops in Syria also supported Assad’s forces in the fight against hostile rebel groups supported, among others, by Turkey.