Syria’s post-Bashar al-Assad government has announced a memorandum of understanding with Russia covering Moscow’s Hmeimim airbase and Tartus naval base. Syria will take control of civilian facilities at Hmeimim and the commercial section of Tartus port, while the military facilities are to become joint Russian-Syrian training and qualification centres.
The transition is expected to be completed within three months. Russia has not yet commented publicly on the agreement, which follows about 18 months of negotiations over the future of its military presence after Assad was ousted in December 2024.
What the memorandum changes
The Syrian foreign ministry described the arrangements as a “reorganising of the Russian presence” along Syria’s coast. The agreement changes the role of facilities that previously supported Russia’s military operations on behalf of Assad’s government during Syria’s civil war.
Hmeimim was the centre of Russian air operations, while Tartus served as Moscow’s principal naval foothold in the Mediterranean. Under the announced arrangement, Syria’s control will extend to civilian facilities at Hmeimim and the commercial part of Tartus, while the military sites will be used jointly for training and qualification.
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How the two sides reached the deal
Russia was a major Assad ally after intervening militarily in 2015, helping the former president’s forces regain ground during the conflict that began with Arab Spring protests in 2011. Assad fled to Russia with his family after Ahmed al-Sharaa led the advance that toppled the regime in December 2024.
Russian troops gradually left Syria after Assad’s fall, apart from personnel at the two bases. The Syrian and Russian sides began negotiating soon after the ousting, and the announced memorandum is the clearest outcome of those talks so far.
Why Damascus and Moscow are keeping ties
Analysts cited by Al Jazeera described the agreement as a pragmatic compromise. Damascus can reclaim greater sovereignty over important facilities while retaining a relationship that provides access to Russian military, administrative and technical expertise, as well as wheat, energy and other support identified by the analysts.
Russia, meanwhile, can preserve a foothold in Syria and its Mediterranean platform rather than leave the country entirely. The arrangement does not mean Syria is choosing Russia exclusively: analysts said Ahmed al-Sharaa’s government may continue developing links with the United States, Turkey and Israel while maintaining a multi-vector foreign policy.
The future impact remains uncertain. Aron Lund of Century International said the new arrangement could either constrain Russia’s role further or formalise and reactivate its military presence, depending on how the deal is implemented.
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