Putin orders withdrawal of Russian troops from Syria (Video)

The National -- Russian president Vladimir Putin ordered Russian forces in Syria to start withdrawing on Monday, as he held surprise talks with president Bashar Al Assad on a visit to Russia's Syrian air base.

The visit to the Hmeimim base in Latakia province marked Mr Putin's first trip to Syria and comes as Mr Al Assad's forces have retaken control of most of Syria under Russian air cover.

The base has served as the main launchpad for the air campaign that Russia has waged since September 2015 in support of Mr Al Assad.

Mr Putin flew from Syria to Cairo to meet with Egyptian president Abdel Fattah El Sisi and was later due to fly to Ankara to meet with Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The Kremlin announced that Mr Putin would meet Mr El Sisi to discuss expanding political, economic, energy and trade ties. The Egyptian government meanwhile said Mr Putin's visit would reflect the shared commitment to "strengthening the historic and strategic relations" between Moscow and Cairo.

Mr Putin's visit to Egypt follows the Russian government's announcement last week that Moscow and Cairo have drafted an agreement for Russian warplanes to use Egyptian military bases.

The Russian president is expected to arrive in Ankara late on Monday afternoon and will hold talks with Mr Erdogan to discuss stability and security in the Middle East.

Talks will include the current situation in Syria and the US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. Russia, Turkey and Egypt have all denounced the US move, which was announced by president Donald Trump on Wednesday last week.

Last Thursday, Mr Putin and Mr Erdogan voiced “serious concerns” about the matter in a telephone conversation, the Kremlin reported.

“Such steps can thwart all prospects for the Middle East peace process,” the Kremlin said.

It added that Russia and Turkey reaffirmed their commitment to "achieving a just and viable solution to the Middle East crisis based, above all, on the relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council and the UN General Assembly, as well as the realisation of the Palestinian people’s right to their own state".

Mr Putin and Mr Erdogan's meeting will be their eighth this year; their last meeting was held in the Russian resort of Sochi in late November.