Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has spoken to Syria’s new leader Ahmad al-Sharaa, the first such top-level contact since the fall of former Syrian President Bashar Assad

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has spoken to Syria’s interim leader Ahmad al-Sharaa, the first such top-level contact since the fall of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Rebels led by al-Sharaa’s Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group ousted Moscow’s close ally in December after a lightning offensive,

Russia's President Vladimir Putin held a phone call with Syria's interim leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, the Kremlin said on Wednesday, the first direct communication between the two since Sharaa's forces overthrew Moscow's ally Bashar al-Assad in December.