Annalena Berbock will travel to Damascus on the morning of January 3 for a one-day visit. There, she will hold talks with her French counterpart Jean-Noel Barrot and, on behalf of the European Union, with the de facto leader of Syria, Ahmed al-Sharaa, and meet with representatives of Syrian civil society. They have proposals in the interests of the country’s people and want to discuss the fate of Russian military bases.
According to the German Foreign Ministry website, Foreign Minister Annalena Berbock stated this before she departed for Damascus.
“The painful chapter of Assad’s rule is over, but it is not yet written, because at this moment the Syrians have a chance to take the fate of their country back into their own hands and to heal deep open wounds. We want to support them in this,” Berbock said.
The minister stressed the importance of avoiding acts of revenge against entire population groups when dealing with the past establishing justice, and preventing extremism and the actions of radical groups. Germany and its international partners, according to Berbock, are also obliged to ensure that the internal Syrian process is not interrupted from the outside. To this end, important principles were developed together with the UN in Aqaba. This includes respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all neighboring states.
“It is also time for Russia to leave its military bases in Syria. The Syrian people will not forget the massive bombings and human rights violations. It was Putin who supported Assad for so long, covered up and supported the crimes of the regime,” Berbock emphasized.
The Russians began to understand that their chances of remaining in Syria were illusory and are looking for alternatives. According to intelligence information, the Russians plan to transfer some of their military equipment to Libya. In Tartus, the Russian military is already waiting for their warships to remove military equipment and weapons.
On January 5, 2025, the Russian large landing ships Ivan Gren and Alexander Otrakovsky, as well as the dry cargo ship Sparta, are scheduled to arrive in the Syrian port. They are currently en route to Tartus in the Mediterranean Sea. On board the Otrakovsky is the chief of staff of the 121st landing ship brigade of the aggressor state fleet of Russia, Captain 1st Rank Davityan Yuri Albertovich. On January 8, the universal cargo ship Sparta II and the tanker Ivan Skobelev are due to arrive.
It is very good that Damascus insists on the complete absence of Russian military personnel in the country. But it is extremely bad that the international community allows Russia to organize new bases. The Russians must bear responsibility for the war crimes committed in Asia, and not have the opportunity to organize new ones in Africa.
