Russia sees problems within the new Syrian government

Moscow sees problems in the new Syrian government: the dialogue within the country is not very successful. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated this at the 14th Valdai Club Middle East Conference.

"There are big problems in Syria, including both in the government, which is now embodied by leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, and in the groups that were involved in the government. After the change of power, dialogue and mutual understanding between them did not work out very well.

Instead of gathering geopolitical points, Syria still needs to actively and constructively contribute to the national dialogue and think about the future of the Syrian people. For this, it is necessary to unite the efforts of all external players," Lavrov said.

"Attempts to remove Russia, China, and Iran from the Syrian settlement process are hardly well-intentioned; they reveal the West's plans to push its competitors to secondary positions," the Russian Foreign Minister noted.

In late November 2024, armed opposition groups launched a large-scale attack on Syrian army positions. On December 8, they entered Damascus, after which President Bashar Assad resigned and fled the country.

On December 10, Mohammed al-Bashir, who headed the "salvation government" established in Idlib province, declared himself the head of the transitional government of Syria, which will operate until March 1, 2025.

And on January 29, 2025, the head of the new Syrian administration, Ahmed al-Sharaa, was proclaimed the country's president, who will lead the transitional period.