Tulsi Gabbard is expected to face tough questions about her past comments about Russia, Syria and a key government surveillance program as lawmakers vet her to lead the nation’s intelligence service

Syria’s new government pressed Russia for compensation during its first talks with a Kremlin delegation since the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad.

A Russian government delegation has visited Syria to meet with the leader of the country's interim government. It is the first time Russian officials have traveled to Syria since the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad.

Syria's de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa has been named president for the "transitional period", state media report, seven weeks after he led the rebel offensive that overthrew Bashar al-Assad.

A Russian delegation tells Damascus it wants certain Syrian opposition groups included in the upcoming national dialogue conference

A Russian delegation voiced support for Syria's sovereignty as it met the new administration in Damascus on Tuesday, marking the first such visit to the war-torn country since the fall of the Assad regime. Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov, and Presidential Special Envoy for Syria Alexander Lavrentiev met Syria’s new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa.

A delegation of Russian officials is in Damascus, Russian state news agency RIA Novosti reported. It is the first such visit to Syria since the fall in December of former President Bashar Assad, an ally of Moscow.

Russia's long-held military presence at Tartus fell into uncertainty after the collapse of the Assad regime last month.

It already appears evident that the days of Russia serving as its leading arms supplier have come to an ignominious end.

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.

Russia is struggling to retain two military bases in Syria that have enabled it to project influence in the Middle East and Africa, according to a person in Moscow familiar with the situation.