Lavrov says he hopes Sharaa will attend Russia-Arab summit in October

MOSCOW - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Thursday that Moscow hopes that Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa will attend a summit between Russia and Arab countries in Moscow in October.

At a meeting in Moscow, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani said Damascus was keen to have Moscow's support in building a united Syria.

Sharaa came to power in December, after his forces ousted longtime Russian ally Bashar al-Assad from power.