Putin and al-Assad meet as Middle East tensions continue to rise

Russia's head of state met the Syrian president in Moscow on Wednesday, according to a video published by the Kremlin.

Transcript

00:00Vladimir Putin met with the President of Syria Bashar al-Assad in Moscow, according to a

00:08video published by Russian authorities.

00:13The Kremlin said Putin and Assad's meeting took place on Wednesday.

00:17The Russian leader evoked the situation in the Middle East as well as their bilateral

00:21relations.

00:22Assad said his visit coincided with the anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations

00:38between the two countries.

01:07Putin is a key ally for Assad, with the Russian military intervention in Syria in 2015 saving

01:13his regime in the midst of a civil war.