Germany calls on Russia to close its military bases and withdraw its forces from Syria

The German government called on Russia to close its military bases and withdraw its troops from Syria.

The call came in statements by the German government coordinator for Syria affairs, Tobias Lindner, to the German magazine “Der Spiegel” in which he said: “Russia must respect Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and Russian military bases in Syria must be closed and soldiers withdrawn from the country.”

The security official considered that “Russia poses the greatest threat to European security in the foreseeable future.”

Lindner added, “When we say that Syria’s territorial integrity must be safeguarded, this applies to all parties, especially Russia.”

Lindner pointed out that “Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a war against the Syrian people by supporting the regime of ousted President Bashar al-Assad, and the Syrians have very painful memories about this issue.”

In response to a question about the current bilateral agreements that secure Russian military bases in Syria, Lindner stressed that “the agreements can be terminated, but the decision, of course, is up to the Syrians themselves,” explaining that “the Russians are in Syria to work in the Mediterranean, Libya, and Africa.”

During her visit to Damascus on January 3, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock stressed the necessity of the withdrawal of Russian forces from Syria, noting that Russian President Vladimir Putin provided long-term support for Bashar al-Assad and covered up and supported the regime’s crimes.

The head of the European Union’s Foreign Policy Department, Kaya Kallas, called for the departure of Russian forces from Syria, and said that “one of the conditions for the European Union’s dialogue with the new Syrian authorities must be the withdrawal of Russian military bases from Syria,” stressing that Iran and Russia “must not play any role in building Syria’s new future.”