The Syrian leader is the latest in a string of global strongmen to meet the Russian president, which will likely be a cause for concern among Western diplomats.
Vladimir Putin has met Bashar al Assad in Moscow, after a surprise visit from the Syrian president that was announced by the Kremlin on Thursday morning.
Footage shared on Telegram by the Russian president’s press service showed the two leaders smiling and shaking hands, before sitting down and chatting through their respective interpreters.
“I am very glad to see you,” President Putin can be heard gushing to his guest.
Referring to the Middle East, he adds: “I am very interested in your opinion on how the situation in the region as a whole is developing.
“Unfortunately, there is a tendency towards escalation, we can see that. This also applied directly to Syria.”