Key facts
- No details were disclosed on what the Saudi-Syrian defense ministry cooperation agreement entails.
- It was Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa's second meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Saudi Arabia in under a month.
- Saudi Arabia has sought defensive and offensive support from the US, Europe and Middle East states for its war against Yemen's Houthis.
- The Saudi Fund for Development signed six agreements with Syria's Finance Ministry worth over $403 million in concessional development loans.
Saudi Arabia and Syria signed an agreement between their defense ministries on Wednesday, Saudi state news agency SPA reported, during a visit to Riyadh by Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa.
Sharaa met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during the visit, their second meeting in Saudi Arabia in less than a month. No details were provided on what the defense agreement entails.
Reuters reported last month that Syria was weighing whether to provide military assistance to Saudi Arabia. A Syrian diplomat said 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 requested assistance from the US, Europe and Middle East states for defensive and offensive support in its war against Yemen's Houthi group, which SPA described as continuing missile and drone attacks on the kingdom.
The two countries signed several other agreements during the visit. The Saudi Fund for Development signed six agreements with Syria's Finance Ministry on Wednesday for concessional development loans worth over $403 million to support development and service sectors in Syria, the Syrian ministry said.
Saudi Arabia has been providing financial assistance to Syria and played a role in re-establishing Damascus' ties with world powers after the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad.