Russia and China affirmed their support for the Syrian government during a UN Security Council session, calling for respect for Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and rejecting external interference in its internal affairs.
Russia’s UN ambassador, Vasily Nebenzya, said his country “will continue to stand by Syria, a friendly nation going through a difficult phase of political transition and economic recovery.” He added that Moscow seeks to back efforts to rebuild and develop state institutions and to strengthen an inclusive national identity for Syrians across affiliations.
Nebenzya described the early-October parliamentary elections in Syria as “a serious step toward building a stable political system that meets the aspirations of the Syrian people,” praising efforts by Damascus and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to reduce tensions in the north.
On the humanitarian file, he voiced “deep concern” over ongoing Western sanctions, which he said “deprive the Syrian people of their right to development and hinder recovery efforts,” stressing that reconstruction requires “broad, coordinated international support free of politicization.”
China’s UN ambassador likewise reiterated Beijing’s support for the Syrian government in pursuing the public interest and settling disputes by peaceful means. He said “restoring calm and peace in Syria should be a goal for the entire international community,” calling Syria “a pivotal state in the Middle East” whose trajectory will directly affect “regional stability and security.” He urged international actors to “support political solutions and create conditions for sustainable development.”
The United States’ representative, Mike Waltz, welcomed the Syrian government’s efforts to strengthen ties with its neighbors, describing an “historic opportunity” to build a stable and vibrant society. He said Washington would continue working with Damascus to combat terrorism and support the return of refugees.
The statements came a week after Syria’s transitional president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, paid his first official visit to Moscow, a key ally of the former regime. Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani also announced a planned visit to China at the beginning of next month.
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First Council session after al-Sharaa’s UN address
Syria’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ibrahim Olabi, said today’s Security Council meeting was the first following President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s official visit to New York.
Speaking to Syrian state television on Wednesday, 22 October, he said the Council is showing “growing support for Syria and its efforts to rebuild and restore stability,” noting that the session is regular and intended to review the latest developments.
Olabi said Council members were expected to “welcome the political and economic gains achieved in recent months,” citing improved conditions on the ground and the return of state institutions to work in wide areas of the country.
Al-Sharaa attended the 80th session of the UN General Assembly in New York between 22 and 30 September, becoming the first Syrian president to take part in High-Level Week. In his address, he spoke about the former regime’s legacy that “cost around one million lives, tortured hundreds of thousands, displaced more than 14 million citizens, and destroyed nearly two million homes,” adding that “the post-victory phase opened the door for refugees to return home and halted the drug trade that thrived under the defunct regime.”
He stressed that Syria is “moving to build a new state grounded in balanced diplomacy and modern laws that guarantee the rights of all citizens without exception,” saying the country is “laying the foundations for a different phase whose hallmark is reform and the rebuilding of both people and institutions.”
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