Syria’s top diplomat has met with Russian officials on the first visit to Moscow by a member of the new government in Damascus since former Syrian President Bashar Assad was ousted.

Despite having been on opposite sides of the battle lines during the civil war, the new rulers in Damascus, headed by interim President Ahmed al-Sharra, have taken a pragmatic approach to relations with Moscow.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Thursday promised reconstruction aid to Syria and extended an invitation to President Ahmed al-Sharaa to visit Moscow. "We expect President al-Sharaa to be able to attend the first Russia-Arab League summit,