Sudan’s Burhan tells Saudi Arabia Russian naval base plans are frozen

December 30, 2025 (PORT SUDAN) – Private sources told Sudan Tribune that the President of the Sovereignty Council, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has confirmed to Saudi authorities the freezing of plans to establish any military bases on the Red Sea, including a proposed Russian facility.

Recent reports, including those published by the Wall Street Journal, indicated that the Sudanese government, led by Burhan, offered Russia a 25-year agreement to establish its first African naval base in Port Sudan or another site along the Sudanese coast.

However, a military source told Sudan Tribune that the government has suspended the project for the time being, stressing that recent reports of construction starting are inaccurate.

The project originates from an agreement signed under the previous regime in 2017. It has since undergone a series of delays and reviews during the transitional period and beyond, driven by international pressure and rapid political shifts within Sudan.

Burhan held talks in Riyadh earlier this month with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to discuss recent developments in Sudan. During these discussions, he reportedly renewed his commitment to freezing any move toward establishing the Russian base.

Sources said Burhan promised during the meeting to keep the project frozen while announcing new measures to prepare the country for the next phase of ending the war, though he did not elaborate on the nature of those measures.

Saudi Arabia and the United States continue to propose an initiative for a humanitarian truce, a ceasefire, and the delivery of aid. The Sudanese government has conditioned the implementation of this plan on the Rapid Support Forces being gathered into specific camps and subsequently disarmed.

Burhan is currently seeking regional support for this vision, explaining his efforts to reassure Riyadh and international powers regarding foreign military bases to maintain diplomatic backing for his position in the ongoing crisis.

Several countries bordering the Red Sea remain opposed to a Russian military presence in the region. This regional opposition is supported by intense U.S. and European pressure on the Sudanese government to block the base.

Diplomatic circles suggest that Washington has threatened to pursue alternative options should Sudan move forward with the Moscow agreement. Western officials consider a Russian naval presence a threat to strategic interests and the balance of power in the vital international shipping lane.