Syrian President Bashar al-Assad arrived in Moscow on Tuesday for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, where the focus will be on rebuilding Syria after the civil war.
The two leaders are expected to discuss "further development of Russian-Syrian cooperation in the political, trade, economic and humanitarian spheres" among other subjects.
The meeting comes on the anniversary of the start of the Syrian civil war, which has displaced half of the country's population and killed nearly 500,000 people.
Russia has been a major backer of the Assad regime throughout the conflict, and has helped the government to reclaim control over large parts of the country.
The Reuters and Gulf News reports focus on a desire expressed by Assad to expand Russia's military presence in Syria, with the Syrian President saying he would welcome any Russian proposals to set up new bases and increase Russian troop numbers.
In Moscow, Putin emphasised Russia's "decisive contribution" to stabilising Syria, with Assad thanking Putin for backing Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and hailing the meeting as a "new facet" in the countries' relationship.
The quotes in these two reports thus emphasise the close diplomatic relationship between Russia and Syria.
Meanwhile, The Times and The Independent reported on broader discussions around the war in Ukraine, with The Times stating that Putin was hosting Assad in the Kremlin as part of Russia's effort to mend ties between Damascus and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
In this context, Putin claimed that Russia was fighting "neo-Nazis and old-Nazis" in Ukraine, a statement challenged by Kiev and the West.
The Independent mentioned that Russia had concentrated its military resources in Ukraine but has maintained its military presence and kept warplanes and troops in Syria.
The reports thus reflect broader geopolitical tensions playing out in the region.