MarshaFelton
President Putin and his Assad counterpart joked that Trump should go to the Syrian capital to "return to normal", as St. Paul restored his eyesight to Damascus.
"If Trump follows this path, he will return to normal," Syrian President Bashar al-Assad told Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Virgin Mary Chapel in Damascus in a reportage broadcast on Russian Russian television. -1 January 12, on the occasion of the Russian president's visit to Syria.
Putin (right) and Assad light a candle at a chapel in Damascus on January 7 Photo: AP
Mr. Assad mentioned the story of St. Paul, who had sought to persecute Christians. However, on the way to Damascus, he was struck by a halo and was blind. He later recovered his sight thanks to his Ananias followers in Damascus, modern-day Syria. This experience led Paul to Christian faith, accepting that Jesus was truly the Messiah and the son of God.
Putin also responded to this mocking by saying that Trump "would take the offer", otherwise he would personally persuade the US President to visit Damascus. "Roads will be fixed. Invite Trump, he will come," Putin said, following a video shared on Twitter.
When Assad said he was willing to invite Trump to visit Syria, Putin smiled and replied, "I will inform him." The conversation was also attended by John X Yazigi, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch.
Putin on January 7 visited Syria amid escalating tensions in the Middle East. The world is concerned about a war between the United States and Iran, a key ally of Russia and Syria, following the assassination of General Qassem Soleimani and Iran's retaliation raid on a base with US troops stationed in Iraq.
This is Putin's first visit to Damascus and his second visit to Syria since the nearly nine-year civil war broke out in the Middle East. Russia has sent troops to support the Syrian government since 2015.
The Syrian news agency SANA said the two leaders heard military activity reports from the Russian forces commander in Syria. President Putin also congratulated the Orthodox Christmas Day to the Russian soldiers there, praising the great progress in resolving the Syrian conflict.
