MOSCOW, April 17. /TASS/. Syrian president Ahmed al-Sharaa sees partnership with Russia as being in the best interests of his people, Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani told Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"A few days ago, Syrian President [Ahmed] al-Sharaa was in Qatar, and we held extensive talks with him. We talked about the strategically important ties between Russia and Syria, which go way back. He is committed to continuing this cooperation, building ties based on mutual respect and respect for the interests of the two peoples," he said.
Al Thani added that Qatar calls for support for the independence and territorial integrity of Syria. "Syria is undoubtedly going through a very difficult period, and, of course, it is necessary to support the aspirations of the new Syrian authorities to ensure territorial integrity and sovereignty of this country," he said.
At the end of November 2024, armed opposition groups launched a large-scale offensive against the Syrian army. On December 8, they entered Damascus. Bashar al-Assad resigned as president and left the country. Al-Sharaa, head of the Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham group, known by the nickname Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, became the de facto head of the country.
On January 29, 2025, he declared himself acting president for a transitional period, which, according to him, could last from four to five years.