Syria’s al-Sharaa reportedly plans to request Assad’s extradition
Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to meet Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa in Moscow on Wednesday, marking their first encounter since al-Sharaa ousted longtime ruler Bashar Assad last year. The meeting could reshape the balance of power in the Middle East.
Al-Sharaa plans to formally request that Russia extradite Assad to Damascus for trial on charges of crimes against the Syrian people. Assad, who fled to Russia following his overthrow, is reportedly living in Moscow under government protection, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
For decades, Moscow was a staunch ally of Damascus, supporting Assad through weapons, diplomacy, and a major 2015 military intervention that helped him regain much of Syria. Al-Sharaa, by contrast, is a former jihadist commander who once led Jabhat al-Nusra (later Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham) — a group heavily targeted by Russian airstrikes during the civil war.
Al-Sharaa’s sudden rise to power in 2024, following a lightning offensive that toppled Assad’s regime, was widely seen as a blow to Russia’s regional influence. His new government has not ruled out allowing Russia to maintain operations at its Tartus naval base and Hmeimim airbase, though Syrian officials say such privileges may depend on compensation for wartime damage and political concessions.
The Moscow summit follows months of renewed diplomatic engagement. In February, Putin and al-Sharaa held their first phone call, emphasizing Syria’s “territorial integrity.” Subsequent visits by senior officials from both countries have kept communication open despite tensions.
Meanwhile, Germany’s Die Zeit reported over the weekend that Assad and his family are living freely in Moscow, guarded by a private security firm funded by the Russian state. The report added that Assad’s wife, Asma, is in critical condition following a recurrence of breast cancer, while his brother Maher Assad resides at Moscow’s Four Seasons Hotel.
The expected talks between Putin and al-Sharaa are likely to focus on Assad’s fate, the future of Russia’s military presence in Syria, and the evolving security dynamics of the region.
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