Vladimir Putin offering refuge to ex-Syrian tyrant Bashar al-Assad in Moscow is undermining Russia’s talks to keep its forces in the wartorn country, according to British defence chiefs. They believe that Russia is carrying out an evacuation from its Mediterranean naval port of Tartus in Syria.

Although this was the first direct conversation between Putin and al-Sharaa, the interim Syrian leader had previously engaged with Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov and special presidential envoy Alexander Lavrentyev during a high-profile visit to Damascus in January.

Syria’s Ahmed al-Sharaa and Russia’s Vladimir Putin held their first phone call on Wednesday, which comes at an uncertain time for the former allies.

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.

Russia will likely keep a reduced military presence in Syria, achieving a key objective for President Vladimir Putin after the downfall of the Assad regime he backed, according to people familiar with the matter.

Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa held his first direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin last week in a call initiated by Moscow, signaling a shift in Syria-Russia relations following the ouster of Bashar Assad.

Russia is reportedly nearing a deal with Syria to maintain a limited military presence in the country after the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad's regime, Bloomberg reported on Feb. 17, citing sources familiar with the matter.