Embattled Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad left his war-torn country for the first time in years on Tuesday to visit Russian President Vladimir Putin, a close ally propping up his regime, in Moscow.

Assad thanked Putin for its recent launch of airstrikes in Syria, but both leaders agreed that military operations must be followed by political steps, the Associated Press reported.

Moscow has said that its attacks target the ISIS jihadists organization, which controls large swaths of territory across Iraq and Syria, as well as other "terrorists." Dissidents and international observers, meanwhile, claim that the Russian strikes have mostly been aimed at rebel groups seeking Assad's ouster.

According to the Kremlin's official transcript of their encounter, Putin extended a "warm welcome" to Assad, who has been accused of using chemical weapons against his own people.

"We took the decision upon your request to provide effective aid to the Syrian people in fighting the international terrorists who have unleashed a genuine war against Syria," Putin said. "The Syrian people has been practically alone in putting up resistance and fighting these international terrorists for several years now, and has suffered great losses," the Russian president added.

Assad, for his part, claimed Moscow's involvement in the civil war helped his regime "prevent events in Syria from taking an even more tragic turn."

"We must be particularly aware that military strikes against the terrorists are essential above all because we must fight terrorism, and also because terrorism is a real obstacle on the road to reaching a political settlement," he said.

Dmitry Peskov, Putin's personal spokesman, said the two subsequently discussed "issues of the fight against terrorist and extremist groups, issues of the continuation of the Russian operation supporting the offensive of the Syrian armed forces," the Washington Post reported.

Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is set to meet with his counterparts from Russia and two main Assad enemies, Turkey and Saudi Arabia, the newspaper added based on reports by Russia's foreign ministry.