Reuters reports citing eight Syrian and Russian sources familiar with a late January Syrian-Russian meeting:

📍 Russia seeks to secure its interests in Syria through an agreement with the Syrian government.

📍 President Ahmad al-Sharaa sought to cancel loans signed during Assad’s regime in his meeting with the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister.

📍 President al-Sharaa requested the return of funds Assad had deposited in Russian banks, but the Russian delegation denied their existence.

📍 Syrian officials raised the issue of handing over Assad during a meeting in Damascus in late January.

📍 It is likely that Russia will not agree to hand over Assad, and no such request has been made.

📍 Russia is unlikely to accept responsibility for the $400 billion destruction cost in Syria but will offer humanitarian aid.

Rawaa Ghanam