Syrian President Bashar al-Assad met senior Russian officials for talks in Damascus on April 20, with both countries’ state media saying a deal was close to lease out Syria’s Tartus port to Russia.
RFE/RL: Moscow close to finalizing deal to lease Syria’s Tartus port for 49 years
A handout picture released by the official Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) on July 29, 2018, shows Russian naval vessels taking part in a Russia Navy Day celebration in the Syrian port of Tartus.
