Assad made the remarks at a meeting with Russian Special Presidential Envoy for Syria Alexander Lavrentiev and his accompanying delegation in Damascus on Tuesday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The United States and its Western allies \u201chave fabricated a global politico-economic crisis and caused a state of global instability, with the aim of undermining Russia\u2019s position and its international presence,\u201d the Syrian leader said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThey used Ukraine as a tool for such a purpose. However, the consequences of the crisis began to deepen in their respective countries in terms of living conditions, as well as social and economic life,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Russia\u2019s firm stance toward the West and the United States is one of the most important factors leading to the formation of a multi-polar world, Assad stated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Russia began what it calls a special military operation against Ukraine last February with the aim of defending Ukraine\u2019s pro-Russian population in Donetsk and Luhansk, another eastern Ukrainian region, against persecution by the Kyiv regime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Several Ukrainian regions have ever since voted in separate referendums in favor of joining the Russian Federation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kyiv and its Western allies, however, accuse Moscow of seizing those territories by force.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
During the Tuesday meeting, the Syrian president also discussed regional issues, such as Turkey\u2019s continued deployment of its military forces in northern Syria and the need for their withdrawal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lavrentiev, for his part, conveyed Russian President Vladimir Putin\u2019s greetings to Assad, stressing Moscow\u2019s support for the Damascus government to enhance the security and stability of the Syrian nation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The senior Russian diplomat also underlined the need for closer cooperation between the two countries to secure a decent return of Syrian refugees to their motherland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He noted that Russia and Syria are committed to the humanitarian dimension of the Syrian refugee crisis, and categorically reject all attempts to politicize the matter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n