Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova has taken issue with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock‘s call for Russia to withdraw its military presence from Syria.
In a statement on her Telegram channel on Friday, Zakharova suggested that Baerbock should focus on the presence of U.S. military bases in Germany instead.
“It is ironic that the foreign minister of a nation that hosts U.S. military installations is making such demands. I would like to know when the German foreign minister will express similar sentiments towards Washington?” Zakharova remarked in her response to Baerbock’s comments.
Baerbock’s statements came after her visit to Damascus on Friday, where she, alongside French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, became the first EU ministers to travel to Syria since the ousting of President Bashar Assad.
The purpose of Baerbock’s visit was reportedly to prevent Syria from falling under the influence of Russia and China, as noted by the German news outlet Tagesschau.
The dynamics in Syria changed significantly in November when militant factions, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) jihadists, launched a surprise offensive against government forces, resulting in a swift decline of Assad’s regime and his subsequent retreat to Moscow.
Russia has been an ally of Assad’s administration, assisting Syria in combating terrorism since 2015. In 2017, a significant agreement was reached between Moscow and Damascus, granting the Russian military a 49-year lease on the Tartus naval base and the Khmeimim airbase located in eastern Syria.
In late December, Ahmed Hussein al-Sharaa, the leader of HTS and the effective ruler of the country, known by his alias Abu Mohammad al-Julani, remarked that Damascus has “strategic interests” in fostering strong relations with Russia, which he referred to as the “second most powerful country in the world.”
“We do not wish for Russia to withdraw from Syria in a manner that would undermine its longstanding relationship with the nation,” al-Julani stated.
On Friday, Russia’s UN envoy Vassily Nebenzia supported this view, indicating that Syria’s new de facto authorities are keen on maintaining their connection with Moscow and its military presence in the area.
During his end-of-year press conference in December, Russian President Vladimir Putin emphasized that the question of sustaining a Russian military presence in Syria necessitates “careful consideration.” “We need to think about how our relations will develop with the political forces currently in power and those that will lead this country in the future,” Putin noted.
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