Russia, seeking to keep bases in Syria, says it held ‘frank’ talks with new leader

Russia said on Wednesday it had held “frank” discussions with Syria’s new de facto leader as it tries to retain its two military bases in the country, but it declined to comment on what he was demanding in return.

A Syrian source familiar with the discussions told Reuters that the new leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, had requested that Moscow hand over former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, who fled to Russia when