Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday pointed to a rise in tensions in the Middle East as the situation in Syria took a turn for the better.
This was discussed during his visit to Damascus where the Russian president met with his Syrian counterpart. A video clip from the meeting was published by Assad's press office.
"We have things to discuss. I mean the ongoing situation in Syria. Unfortunately, we see that in the region it has escalated," Putin told Assad, adding that things were looking up for Syria.
"As for Syria, your efforts and our cooperation... have not just greatly improved the situation. We are in fact witnessing the restoration of Syria's statehood and integrity," Putin said.