Interim Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa emphasized the "close strategic relationship" between his country and Russia during a call with President Vladimir Putin, the Syrian presidency said Wednesday after their first telephone conversation.

Sharaa reaffirmed "the close relationship between the two countries and Syria's openness to all parties" in a way that serves "the interests of the Syrian people and strengthens the stability and security of Russia," according to the presidency's statement.

Russia has two military bases in Syria, the future of which has been uncertain since the fall of Bashar Assad, a close Moscow ally who was ousted in December by a rebel coalition led by the Islamist group Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, headed by Sharaa.

During Wednesday's call, Putin extended "an official invitation to Foreign Minister Assaad al-Chaibani for a visit to Russia," the Syrian presidency said.

In Moscow, the Russian presidency said Putin had expressed support for "the unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity" of Syria during the conversation. He emphasized "the importance of implementing a set of measures aimed at sustainable normalization" in Syria and "activating inter-Syrian dialogue," according to a Kremlin statement.

Russia, along with Iran, was a key supporter of Assad during the civil war. Moscow intervened militarily in 2015, aiding Assad in a brutal crackdown on rebels, including through devastating airstrikes. Since Assad's fall, the fate of Russia’s naval base in Tartus and its military airfield in Hmeimim — both crucial to Moscow’s influence in the Middle East, the Mediterranean, and Africa — remains uncertain.

‘Building a new Syria’

Putin and Sharaa also "exchanged views" on "the current situation in Syria and the political roadmap to build a new Syria," the Syrian presidency said.

At the end of January, Syria’s new authorities called on Russia to "correct past mistakes." Later that month, a Russian delegation visited Damascus for the first time since Assad’s fall, reiterating Moscow’s support for "the unity, territorial integrity, and sovereignty" of Syria.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov met with Sharaa and Chaibani for three hours during the visit. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described the trip as "important," saying it was "necessary to build and maintain a permanent dialogue with the Syrian authorities."

In late December, Sharaa struck a conciliatory tone with Moscow, emphasizing "the deep strategic interests between Russia and Syria" in an interview with Al-Arabiya. "All Syrian weaponry is of Russian origin, and many power plants are managed by Russian experts," he said.

Ukraine, which has been at war with Russia since Moscow’s 2022 invasion, has urged Sharaa to expel Russian forces from Syria.