Syria's Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani visited Russia to strengthen ties with the new Syrian government following the ousting of Bashar al-Assad. During the visit, he met with President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, discussing cooperation and support for Syria's transitional justice process. Despite past conflicts, the new leadership in Damascus aims for pragmatic relations with Moscow, which has maintained its military presence in Syria and provided assistance in reconstruction efforts.