Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted his Syrian counterpart, Bashar al-Assad, in the Kremlin in the Russian capital of Moscow for a meeting to explore bilateral relations and the latest developments in the region amid the ongoing war on Gaza. 

📹 First footage of Putin and Assad meeting in Moscow pic.twitter.com/P4CdOKZBz0

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Putin affirmed during the meeting discussions regarding bilateral relations between the two countries, as well as the "escalating" situation in the region, noting that this applies to Syria as well. 

The Russian leader also hoped to develop trade and economic relations between Moscow and Damascus, adding that uncertainty still surrounded this matter. 

In turn, al-Assad described the meeting with Putin as important to explore several scenarios in light of the current geopolitical state of the world. 

He further ascertained that Syria and Russia maintained a certain level of mutual trust, which he considered to be an indicator of maturity in relations. 

'Russia paving way for multipolarity'

The Syrian president also noted that his visit to Moscow coincided with the 80th anniversary of the establishment of relations between his country and Russia, adding that both countries had witnessed difficult trials over the past few decades. 

Earlier, according to Syrian state media SANA, despite constant pressure and attempts to weaken their resolve, President al-Assad emphasized that both nations have supported one another for eight decades and have stayed steadfast in their commitment to values and dignity.

President al-Assad asserted that Russia’s unshakeable stances would pave the way for a multipolar world, "in light of the hegemony we face and the war we are witnessing, yet the final word is resilience, not retreat or defeat."

President al-Assad congratulated the Russian people on their long-standing solid ties and mutual trust with the Syrian people, speaking for both himself and his people.

Putin, in response, emphasized Russia's ongoing support for Syria in maintaining its sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity, saying that the goal of Russian-Syrian relations is to advance regional and global peace and stability.

The Russian president congratulated the Syrian government and people and wished them prosperity. He emphasized that both nations had made significant progress together in a number of areas, most notably the fight against terrorism.