Syria and Russia strike a pragmatic deal to redefine bases

After about 18 months of talks, Syria and Russia announced a memorandum on Moscow's Hmeimim airbase and Tartus port, shifting civilian control to Damascus while converting the bases into joint Russian-Syrian training centers to be ready within three months. The deal signals a pragmatic rebalancing: Syria asserts greater sovereignty over strategic facilities while Russia retains a continued foothold, reflecting mutual dependence and a shift toward multi-vector diplomacy that could involve Western powers.