DAMASCUS (Dispatches) -- Syria and Russia have reached a landmark agreement that will strip Moscow of its exclusive control over two strategic Mediterranean bases, converting them into joint training centers in a deal that signals Russia’s diminishing role in the post-Assad era.
Under the memorandum of understanding, Syria will take control of civilian facilities at the Hmeimim air base and the commercial berth at Tartus port. Military installations at both sites will be reclassified as “joint training and qualification centers,” with a three-month deadline to complete the transition.
The agreement caps approximately 18 months of negotiations and represents what Syria’s foreign ministry described as “the most significant development” in bilateral relations since the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad.
For Russia, the deal represents a significant setback. The Hmeimim air base and Tartus naval facility were Moscow’s only official military bases outside the former Soviet Union and served as critical hubs for projecting power across the eastern Mediterranean.
During Assad’s presidency, Russia used these bases as staging grounds for its military intervention during the 13-year war against takfiri terrorist groups, including Daesh and Al-Qaeda affiliates. Russian forces played a key role in pushing back extremist elements that threatened to overrun the country.
The current Syrian leadership, headed by Abu Muhammad al-Jolani—the former Al-Qaeda commander and ex-Daesh deputy who now controls Damascus—has adopted a dramatically different geopolitical orientation.
Jolani has actively courted Western powers, particularly the United States. President Donald Trump has announced plans to lift all sanctions on Syria and meet with Jolani, praising the former terrorist commander as doing “an amazing job”. 
The U.S. has submitted a draft UN Security Council resolution to lift sanctions on Jolani ahead of a planned White House meeting.
Israel has also emerged as a significant player in Jolani’s Syria. Reports indicate the HTS-led regime has allowed Israel to open an office in Damascus, while Israeli forces have conducted over 1,000 airstrikes and around 400 ground incursions into Syrian territory. Jolani has reportedly proposed making “peace” with Israel in exchange for American support.
Ankara has emerged as the primary foreign patron of Jolani’s takfiri regime. Turkish-backed forces played a decisive role in the insurgency that toppled Assad, and Turkey now dictates much of the political direction in Damascus.
The combination of Jolani’s overtures to Washington, normalization with Israel, and reliance on Turkey leaves little room for Russia in the new Syrian order.