Syria and Russia Reach Agreement on Future of Military Bases
5 sources across 5 countries · 1 of them is linked to a state
Who reported this
- Infobae
- Le Monde
- Al Jazeera
- Reuters
- Al-Monitor
What the colours mean
- Left
- Centre-left
- Centre
- Centre-right
- Right
- A hatched block means the outlet is affiliated with, or controlled by, a state.
Political lean describes where an outlet sits within the politics of its own country. It is never a position on a single global scale.
Political lean is comparable inside one country and not across them, which is why the bar groups by country first. Publicly funded broadcasters are not marked as state-linked.
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Syria and Russia have signed a memorandum of understanding to redefine the Russian military presence in Syria following 18 months of negotiations. The agreement concerns the future of the Hmeimim airbase and the Tartous naval base, which were used by Moscow to support former President Bashar al-Assad until his fall in December 2024. Under the new terms, these military facilities will be transformed into joint training and capacity building centers to preserve the mutual interests of both nations. The transition process is expected to be completed within a maximum of three months.
As part of the deal, the Syrian state will assume management of civilian facilities. This includes the Hmeimim airport and the fourth commercial berth at the port of Tartous, which will be gradually integrated into Syria's national civilian administration. The Syrian General Authority for Ports and Customs confirmed that Syria will take over the commercial sites and associated warehouses previously operated by Russia at Tartous.
While center and center-left sources focus on the diplomatic resolution and the repurposing of the bases, center-right coverage emphasizes the shift in power dynamics. This framing highlights that the agreement follows the collapse of the Al Assad regime and notes that Damascus continues to demand the extradition of the former president, who is currently in Russia. The Hmeimim and Tartous facilities remain Russia's only official military bases outside the former Soviet Union.
How each side framed it
- Centre-left
- Framed the agreement as a resolution regarding bases previously used to support the ousted Assad regime.
- Centre
- Focused on the factual details of the memorandum and the specific logistics of the civilian handover.
- Centre-right
- Highlighted the broader geopolitical shift and the ongoing Syrian demand for the extradition of Bashar al-Assad.
Sources
- Centre-left Al Jazeera: Syria says it reached deal with Moscow on future of Russian bases
- Centre Al-Monitor: Syria and Russia reach deal on future of Tartous and Hmeimim bases after 18 months of talks
- Centre-right Infobae: Damascus and Moscow reached an agreement that redefines the Russian military presence in Syria after the fall of Al Assad
- Centre-left Le Monde: Damascus says it has found an agreement with Moscow on the fate of Russian bases in Syria
- Centre Reuters: Syria and Russia reach deal on future of Tartous and Hmeimim bases after 18 months of talks - Reuters
100% of the statements in this article were traced back to the source articles listed above.