Two distinct messages, which may be complementary, were sent simultaneously by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the past few days. The first was directly addressed to Moscow. The second was addressed to Washington, but indirectly and with a telling language.

The theme in both messages was that Syria and its regime are prepared for all initiatives, including a settlement in the region.

Highly credible Syrian sources revealed to Al-Monitor the details of the two messages. The sources asserted that in the first few hours of the Ukrainian crisis, especially after the Russian army entered Crimea, Assad sent a private message to Russian President Vladimir Putin informing him that he is putting all of Syria’s resources and territory at Moscow’s disposal in its Ukrainian battle.

The sources added that the message itself may not mean much militarily, because from the first moments of the outbreak of clashes in Kiev it seemed clear that the crisis would be confined. Also, Russian capabilities are enough to accomplish any mission in areas near Russia’s borders. Russian naval bases were never under threat of siege and never needed alternative outlets on the Mediterranean to justify Damascus rushing to offer such outlets.