Syrian President Bashar al-Assad thanked his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, for "saving" his country and for Russia's support in Syria.
The two heads of state met for talks in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi on Monday, the Kremlin said in a statement on Tuesday.
They discussed the fight against "terrorism" and the possibilities for a political settlement in Syria, which has entered its seventh year of war. The statement added that Assad had expressed his readiness to hold discussions with parties interested in resolving the conflict.