President Assad Calls Syria Open To Additional Military Bases And Russian Troops, Supports Special Military Operations In Ukraine

Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad with Russian President Vladimir Putin. (Source: Vladimir Gerdo/TASS via Kremlin)

Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad said on Thursday he would welcome Russia's proposal to establish a new military base and increase the number of troops in the Middle Eastern country, suggesting that Russia's military presence there become permanent.

As Russia intervened in the Syrian Civil War in 2015, Moscow helped balance the situation and ensure the Syrian leader's survival, despite demands from Western countries to overthrow him.

Meanwhile, President Assad, who met with President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin on Wednesday, has supported Russia's war in Ukraine and told the Russian government's RIA news agency that Damascus acknowledged the areas claimed by Russia in Ukraine.

Syria, President Assad said, would welcome any Russian proposals to establish a new military base, as well as increase its troop numbers, saying it does not need to be temporary.

"We think expanding Russia's presence in Syria is a good thing," President Assad told RIA in an interview.

"Russian military presence in any country should not be based on anything temporary," he continued.

"We believe that if Russia has a desire to expand the base or increase its number, it is a technical or logistical issue," said President Assad.

Assad's years as president have been determined by the conflict that began in 2011, with peaceful protests before developing into a multi-sided conflict that has divided the Middle Eastern country, attracting friends and opponents from abroad.

In addition to the Hmeim airbase, where Russia launched airstrikes to support President, Assad, Moscow also controls the Tartus naval facility in Syria, the only naval base in the Mediterranean, which has been in use since the Soviet Union.

The Russian Defense Ministry said in January it and Syria had restored an al-Jarrah military air base in northern Syria for joint use. The small base to the east of Aleppo was recaptured from ISIS fighters in 2017.

On the occasion, President Assad thanked President Putin for the assistance that had been provided, after a devastating earthquake rocked the country, while praising the Kremlin leader for his support for Syrian unity.

Syria stands next to Russia on the issue of Ukraine, Assad said.

"Because this is my first visit since the start of a special military operation in Ukraine, I would like to repeat the position of Syria that supports this special operation," President Assad told President Putin, according to a Kremlin transcript.

Syria recognizes Ukrainian territory that has been annexed by Russia as Russian property, President Assad added.

It is known, Russia has claimed about a fifth of Ukraine's territory, saying the territory is now part of Russia.

Ukraine said it would continue to fight until every last Russian soldier was expelled from Ukraine, with the West saying annexation of Ukrainian territory was illegal.