Saudi Arabia and Syria signed a cooperation agreement between their respective defense ministries on Wednesday, according to the Saudi state news agency SPA. The signing occurred during a visit to Riyadh by Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. This marked the second time the two leaders met in Saudi Arabia in less than a month.
While the SPA report did not provide details on what the agreement entails, Reuters reported last month that Syria was carefully weighing providing military assistance to Saudi Arabia as the kingdom faces escalating missile and drone attacks from Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi group.
During the visit, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and President Ahmed al-Sharaa witnessed the signing of several other agreements covering energy, infrastructure, and military cooperation. A Syrian diplomat stated at the time that any request for military cooperation or exchange of expertise “would take place exclusively through official channels and within the framework of the bilateral agreements governing relations between our two brotherly countries.”
Saudi Arabia has been requesting assistance far and wide, from the US to Europe and the Middle East, for both defensive and offensive support in a renewed war against the Houthis.
Additionally, the Saudi Fund for Development signed six agreements with Syria's Finance Ministry on Wednesday. According to the Syrian ministry, these agreements provide concessional development loans worth over $403 million to support Syria's service and development sectors. The kingdom has been providing financial assistance to Syria and has played a key role in re-establishing Damascus' ties with world powers after the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad.
