Meeting brings together Shibanee with Lavrov and Moscow awaits the reception of Shar'a

In a surprising move, the official meeting between the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Syrian counterpart Asaad Shibanee began in Moscow on Thursday for the first time since the overthrow of the former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.


Lavrov announced that Russia looks forward to receiving the Syrian President Ahmed Shar'a in Moscow.

He confirmed that Moscow hopes that President Ahmed Shar'a will attend a summit between Russia and Arab countries in Moscow in October.

Shibanee emphasized that his country wants to open a new page in relations with Russia based on cooperation, saying: "We want correct and healthy relations with Russia based on mutual cooperation and respect".

He also stressed that Syria is going through a difficult stage full of challenges and there are great opportunities for success, adding: "We aspire for Russia to be by our side".

The minister said: "There are some governments that spoil the relationship between the new Syria and Russia, and we are here to represent the new Syria, and we want to establish a healthy and correct relationship between our countries and we aspire for Russia to be by our side in our path... Our work since December 8 has been to fill the political vacuum and we have managed to preserve state institutions".

Meetings of the Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Shibanee in Moscow will continue until tomorrow, Friday, and he will not head to the Azerbaijani capital Baku today.

Shibanee will also not meet with the Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer today in Baku.
This comes after Russia announced on Wednesday that the Syrian Foreign Minister would travel to Moscow on Thursday in the first official visit by a Syrian government official to Russia since the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad last year.

The Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated that the Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Shibanee will visit Moscow and hold talks with the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on July 31.
Zakharova said: "On July 31, talks will be held in Moscow between the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and the Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Shibanee, and current issues on the bilateral agenda, as well as international and regional issues, are expected to be discussed", according to TASS news agency.

Shibanee and Dermer's meeting in Paris
This comes after a diplomatic source told AFP on Wednesday that Shibanee and Dermer will hold a new meeting on Thursday in the Azerbaijani capital Baku.

Baku previously hosted a similar meeting between officials from the two countries on July 12, 2025.

This visit comes as the new Syrian administration seeks to reassure Arab and Western countries that Syria will be inclusive of all spectrums with the restoration of diplomatic relations, and that it will not be a source of annoyance to any party.

As for Russia, which has long been known for its support of the former President Bashar al-Assad regime, it has many interests in Syria that need to be discussed, most notably military bases.