The Kremlin said on Monday that Russia is continuing to talk to the Syrian authorities about various subjects, including the fate of Moscow’s two military bases in the country.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov travelled to Damascus last week for the first talks with Syria’s new leaders since President Bashar al-Assad was toppled late last year. Al-Assad and members of his family fled to Moscow.

Russia, whose troops and air force backed al-Assad for years against Syrian opposition forces, is seeking to retain its naval base in Tartous and its Hmeimim air base near the port city of Latakia.