MOSCOW

The presence of Russian military bases in Syria was discussed during talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa in Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Thursday.

Asked at a press briefing whether any decisions had been made on Russian military bases in Syria, Peskov confirmed that the issue was addressed.

"As for the Russian military bases, this topic was on the agenda of the talks," he said.

The spokesman said the discussions primarily focused on bilateral trade and economic relations and their future development.

"The potential is quite wide and the interest is mutual," he noted.

Peskov added that the extradition of former Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad was not raised during the meeting.

Turning to the next round of Russia-Ukraine peace talks scheduled for Feb. 1 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Peskov did not rule out the possibility that negotiations could extend beyond one day.

"Maybe two days if necessary, yes," he said, adding that logistical issues will continue to be coordinated until Sunday.

He stressed that "everything will be done to ensure that the dialogue can continue."

Asked about media reports claiming an alleged energy ceasefire with Kyiv or negotiations on the issue, Peskov declined to comment, saying: "No, I can't comment on that yet."

On possible German participation as a mediator in Russia-Ukraine talks, Peskov said Berlin has neither shown nor is showing interest in assuming such a role.

Commenting on US threats toward Iran, Peskov said the negotiation option remains available and warned that military action would destabilize the region.

"Any forceful actions can only create chaos in the region and lead to very dangerous consequences in terms of destabilizing security systems throughout the region," he stressed.

Addressing the future of the Strategic Offensive Arms Treaty, known as the New START Treaty, Peskov said drafting a new document would be lengthy and more complex than extending the existing one, due to “a lot of factors.”

The spokesman added that Russia is still awaiting a response from the US to its proposals regarding the treaty and has received no feedback from Washington. Russia previously proposed extending the treaty for one year.

He warned that a US refusal to extend the New START Treaty would create a legal vacuum in strategic stability, which would harm global security interests.

The New START Treaty, signed in 2010 and in force since February 2011, is set to expire on Feb. 4.