Putin and Assad hold talks on anniversary of Syria uprising

Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted Syrian President Bashar Assadfor talks in Moscow on Wednesday.

Assad's visit to the Russian capital coincided with the 12th anniversary of the uprising that soon becase a civil war in Syria.

Putin is Assad's strongest backer helping to put down rebels trying to topple the Syrian leader's regime.

What Putin and Assad discussed

Putin highlighted the Russian military's "decisive contribution" to stabilizing the country in a military campaign which helped the Assad regime in the fight against opposition groups, ultimately reclaiming control of much of the country.

Putin intervened in the Syrian conflict, in which around half a million people have been killed, by launching air strikes and deploying troops to support government forces.

With this support and help from another important Assad ally, Iran, Damascus won back much of the territory it had lost in the war's early stages.

Assad thanked Putin continuing to support Syria militarily, even amid what he described as Russia's "special operation" in Ukraine, following the Kremlin's preferred wording for the invasion.

"Even though Russia now is also conducting the special operation, its position has remained unchanged," Assad said.

In a series of tweets, Assad's office said the leaders discussed  "joint cooperation in various forms and developments on the regional and international arenas."

Assad seeks to end isolation

Assad has been isolated in the region and most of the world since the start of the conflict.

But he has stepped up efforts to return his country to the international stage following the devastating earthquake that hit parts of northern Syria and the south of Turkey.

Assad's neighbor Turkey backs armed opposition groups that control an enclave in northwestern Syria.

But analysts have said Moscow is trying to bridge the divide by focusing on their common "enemy," Kurdish forces in northern Syria.

In December, Moscow hosted surprise talks between the Syrian and Turkish defense ministers.

The Syrian, Turkish and Russian deputy foreign ministers, as well as a senior adviser to their Iranian counterpart, were also set to hold talks Wednesday and Thursday in Moscow to discuss "counterterrorism efforts" in Syria.

kb,lo/msh (AP, AFP, dpa, Reuters)