Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) shakes hands with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad during a meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, October 20, 2015. Assad flew to Moscow on Tuesday evening to personally thank Putin for his military support, in a surprise visit that underlined how Russia has become a major player in the Middle East. Picture taken October 20, 2015. REUTERS/Alexei Druzhinin/RIA Novosti/Kremlin
Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) shakes hands with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad during a meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, October 20, 2015. Assad flew to Moscow on Tuesday evening to personally thank Putin for his military support, in a surprise visit that underlined how Russia has become a major player in the Middle East. Picture taken October 20, 2015. REUTERS/Alexei Druzhinin/RIA Novosti/Kremlin

 

Washington – The United States took note of a meeting on Wednesday between Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Russian President Vladimir Putin but was not surprised by the visit, Assad’s first foreign trip since start of the Syrian civil war, the State Department said.

“It’s not surprising that Bashar al-Assad would travel to Moscow, given the relationship that Syria has with Russia, and given the recent military activities by Russia in Syria on behalf of Bashar al-Assad,” State Department spokesman John Kirby told a briefing.

As reported by Vos Iz Neias