Putin hails Assad's success in 'fighting terrorists'

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Russian President Vladimir Putin has congratulated Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad on his country's results in "fighting terrorist groups," the Kremlin said Tuesday.

"For a start I want to congratulate you with the results that Syria is achieving in the fight against terrorist groups... the Syrian nation is going through a very serious experience and nonetheless is approaching the final, inevitable defeat of the terrorists," Putin told Assad, the Kremlin website reported.

Putin hosted Assad at his Black Sea residence of Sochi on Monday to talk about the need to move from military operations to the search for a political solution to Syria's conflict, the Kremlin said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) welcomes Syrian President Bashar al-Assad during a meeting in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, Russia on Monday. /Reuters Photo

Russia is actively trying to build an international consensus around a peace deal for Syria.

Putin will meet the leaders of Iran and Turkey, two other powers with major stakes in the Syrian conflict, on Wednesday. He said he would follow up his talks with Assad with phone calls to US President Donald Trump and to Middle Eastern leaders.

"We still have a long way to go before we achieve a complete victory over terrorists. But as far as our joint work in fighting terrorism on the territory of Syria is concerned, this military operation is indeed wrapping up," Putin told Assad in comments broadcast by Russian television.

"Now the most important thing, of course, is to move on to the political questions, and I note with satisfaction your readiness to work with all those who want peace and a solution."

Putin and Assad last met on October 20, 2015, a few weeks after Moscow launched its military operation in Syria.

Assad 'ready' for dialogue

For his meeting in Sochi, Assad stayed on Russian soil for a total of four hours, RIA news agency quoted Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying. It was his first publicly declared trip outside Syria since his 2015 visit to Moscow.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) meets with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, Russia November 20. /Reuters Photo

Wearing a dark suit and sitting across a small coffee table from Putin, Assad told the Russian leader: "At this stage, especially after we achieved victory over terrorists, it is in our interests to move forward with the political process.

"And we believe that the situation we now have on the ground and in the political sense permits us to expect progress in the political process. We count on the support of Russia to ensure the non-interference of outside players in the political process.

"We don't want to look backwards. We welcome all those who truly want to see a political solution. We are ready to have a dialogue with them."

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Source(s): AFP ,Reuters