Syrian president says Damascus ‘discusses military support with Ankara’
DAMASCUS
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has announced that his government is currently engaged in negotiations with Türkiye and Russia concerning military support.
In an interview with the New York Times, Sharaa indicated that his administration is in ongoing dialogue with both Türkiye and Russia regarding their respective military footprints in Syria, alluding to the possibility of securing defense assistance from each.
Russia, which has historically propped up the Assad regime through military intervention, maintains enduring strategic interests in safeguarding its military installations on Syrian soil.
Sharaa underscored Moscow’s longstanding role in arming the Syrian military and providing technical maintenance to the country’s energy infrastructure.
“These interests must be carefully weighed,” he asserted.
In a previously undisclosed development, Sharaa revealed that as part of a round of consultations with the Kremlin in January, his government requested the extradition of Bashar al-Assad, who fled to Russia following the regime’s collapse.
Sharaa stated that the Kremlin rebuffed the demand, disclosing Moscow’s response to the public for the first time.
The president also emphasized the imperative of sanction relief to resuscitate the country’s decimated economy.
In the interview, he argued that these punitive measures were originally intended to target the previous regime and now constitute a hindrance to his government's reconstruction efforts.
“Sanctions were instituted in response to the atrocities perpetrated by the former regime against its own people,” he said.
Last month, U.S. officials outlined eight preconditions for any rollback of sanctions.
While Sharaa acknowledged the existence of these stipulations, he contended that certain conditions “merit reconsideration or revision,” though he refrained from elaborating.
UK ends sanctions on Syria defense, interior ministries
His remarks were followed by London’s move as the U.K. government announced yesterday it was lifting sanctions that were imposed on Syria's interior and defense ministries.
Sanctions against various media groups and intelligence agencies were also lifted, although Syria's new rulers dissolved the Assad-era spy bodies in January.
Those targeted by the sanctions were "involved in repressing the civilian population in Syria" or had been "involved in supporting or benefitting from the Syrian regime", said the notice.
Germany offers Syrians up to $4,555 to return home
Germany is offering up to 4,000 euros ($4,555) per family to encourage Syrians to return to their homeland, with more than 460 people having taken advantage of these incentives in recent weeks, according to the government.
The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees has supported the voluntary return of 464 Syrians since the new Syrian government took power in Damascus, German authorities told local media yesterday.
Under the program, adult returnees receive up to €1,000 in initial assistance, while minors are eligible for €500. The program also provides travel allowances of €200 for adults and €100 for children, plus medical support of up to €2,000 if needed.
