Russia Offers to Help Rebuild Syria as It Bids for Deal on Bases
Bomb-damaged buildings on the outskirts of Damascus.
Photographer: David Lombeida/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Russia is willing to help with the reconstruction of Syria as it continues to seek a deal with the country’s new leadership to retain two vital military bases, according to a senior Middle East policy adviser to the Russian government.
The Kremlin is scrambling to preserve some measure of influence in Syria after its ally President Bashar al-Assad was ousted last month by the former Islamist rebels who now control the country. The military bases — a naval port at Tartus and an airfield at Hmeimim — have enabled Moscow to project influence in the Middle East and Africa, and their loss would be a significant strategic setback.